EARTHQUAKE!

In all the years, that Geoff and I have been visiting Portugal we have never experienced an earthquake, thankfully! 

Two weeks ago, Geoff received a text message on his Portuguese mobile number, which in its self is a rarity, but it became very alarming once we translated the message.

“Be prepared for an earthquake!”  

Geoff’s ingenuity immediately kicked in, “The last time I read, Science wasn’t capable of predicting earthquakes, perhaps it’s a scam?”  

After spending time ensuring we weren’t clicking on a compromised website, it transpired it was Portugal’s national earthquake awareness exercise (Operation: TERRA TREME). The exercise aims to empower the population to know how to act before, during and after an earthquake & comprises of 3 simple actions that can make a difference; DROP, COVER, HOLD.

How to prepare for an earthquake in 4 steps:

1. Make an earthquake emergency plan and memorize it.
2. Sign up for earthquake alerts.
3. Get an emergency battery/Solar operated radio and torch.
4. Assemble an earthquake preparedness kit with a fire extinguisher and bugout bag.

Now I hear you say, “there can’t be that may earthquakes in Portugal?” 

Well, stand by to be surprised!

• So far today (25/11/2020) there has been 8 registered quakes, the most significant being a 4.0 magnitude in the Atlantic Ocean, southwest of Algarve!

• This year (2020) there has been 452 registered quakes (3.4 magnitudes or greater)!

• 15th January 2018 a 4.9 magnitude earthquake rattled mainland Portugal, its epicentre being the district of Évora. A sequence of aftershocks followed for fifteen days after the mainshock. Reports of the tremor being felt in Lisbon, the Algarve and Spain. It was the largest quake in Portugal for the past 20 years and described as “wake up call” by experts.

Great Lisbon earthquake.

Of course, the most notable earthquake described as “one of the deadliest earthquakes in history”, occurred in 1755 in Lisbon. Reports state that the earthquake lasted six minutes, causing cracks 5 metres wide in the city centre. Seismologists today estimate the quake had a magnitude of 8.9 and with its epicentre in the Atlantic Ocean about 200 km southwest of Lisbon. Survivors rushed to the open space of the docks for safety and watched as the sea receded, approximately 40 minutes after the quake, a tsunami engulfed the harbour and downtown area. Interestingly tsunami means ‘Harbour Wave’ in Japanese. Candles lit in homes and churches all around the city for All Saints’ Day were knocked over, starting a fire that developed into a firestorm which burned for hours in the city. The estimated death toll in Portugal was 100,000+ with a further 50,000 in Spain and Morocco from the quake and the resulting tsunami.

Needless to say we checked our building insurance covers earthquakes. Interestingly, Portugal is the only country to make building insurance mandatory in law.

INTERESTING FACTS.

On the 16th December 1811 an earthquake caused parts of the Mississippi to flow backwards!

Standing water smells before an earthquake!
Ponds, canals, lakes and other standing water may give off a nasty whiff and become slightly warmer before an earthquake. This is due to gases being released underground as the plates shift. This can contribute to a change in the behavior of wildlife in the area. Scientists from the Department of Life Sciences at the Open University observed toads disappearing before an earthquake which struck Italy in 2009 – and returning afterwards. It is also believed toads detect changes in water chemistry caused by stresses in rocks.