The clocks struck 5:10 AM when, this morning, many Portuguese were awakened by a tremor. The first reports appeared on social media, which were later confirmed by Civil Protection: Portugal ‘woke up’ shaking. What happened, what are the next steps, and what is there to fear?
What happened?
The district of Lisbon was shaken by an earthquake shortly after 5 AM on Monday morning. The tremor was felt throughout the country, according to Civil Protection, and many people reported feeling ‘the house shaking’.
According to IPMA, it was an earthquake of magnitude 5.3 on the Richter scale, occurring at 5:11 AM, at a depth of 16 km, with its epicenter 58 kilometers west of Sines.
Earthquake of magnitude greater than 5 felt throughout the country
The earthquake was felt in the Lisbon area. However, Civil Protection received a high number of phone calls from the Alentejo region to Coimbra.
Calm and serenity: The Government’s appeal
Following the event, the Government immediately appealed to the population to remain calm and follow the recommendations of civil protection. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also assured that the authorities were working with “speed and efficiency” in monitoring the situation.
In a statement, the Government, currently presided over by Minister Paulo Rangel, as Luís Montenegro is on vacation, said it was in close coordination with all relevant services on the matter.
“We appeal to the population to remain calm and follow the recommendations of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority,” the note states.
The President of the Republic said he was in contact with the Government and monitoring the situation in the country. Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa praised “the competence and efficiency of Civil Protection, which calmed” the Portuguese minutes after the earthquake and considered that the country has had previous lessons so that the effects of a possible stronger earthquake do not have devastating consequences.
Fear, surprise, and astonishment: Reports come from all over the country
“We received many calls, especially from people who wanted to know what was happening and what they should do. At this time [06:00] we still can’t count the number of calls received,” Commander José Miranda of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC) began to state moments after the tremor.
Although there were no reports of victims or material damage, many shared their fright.
“I woke up with the windows and blinds banging and the house shaking for a few seconds. I have three cats that hid, terrified. I live in Vila Nova de Santo André, on the third floor. I had never felt such a strong earthquake,” reported Vítor Joaquim Rodrigues.
Dozens of reports have reached us via email, coming from Abrantes, Lagos, Maia, Montijo, Barreiro, Porto, Torres Vedras, and Matosinhos.
An “atypical event” but within “normality”
At 8 AM, Civil Protection came to make a public statement about the earthquake. The National Commander of Civil Protection, André Fernandes, made it known that although it was “an atypical event,” it was an earthquake “within normality,” without the need to activate “special” emergency plans.
The same official reported that after the main shock, “three aftershocks” of 1.2, 1.1, and 0.9 on the Richter scale were felt. “A perfectly normal situation,” he assured, also informing that the authorities are in a “monitoring” phase.
On CNN, Fire Commander Jorge Mendes said that it is common to feel less strong aftershocks after a larger magnitude earthquake.
“Since 1969, nothing of this intensity has been felt,” he informed, considering that this “is a warning that the country is subject to these earthquakes and preventive mechanisms should be created so that it does not have consequences.”
It should be noted that on the early morning of February 28, 1969, Portugal experienced a severe earthquake: with its epicenter 200 kilometers from Sagres, it reached 7.9 on the Richter scale. Thirteen people died, and the damage was also high, especially in the south of the country.
Regarding today’s earthquake, Marcelo stated this morning that “there seems to have been learning from many lessons and many fundamental changes, so that the effects are different from what they would be in other circumstances.”
