Two earthquakes with a magnitude of 2.3 and 2.0 on the Richter scale were felt today on the island of Terceira, the Azores Seismic Information and Surveillance Center (CIVISA) said.
According to CIVISA, the first earthquake was felt at 05:44 local time (06:44 in Lisbon) and the second at 07:50 local time (08:50 in Lisbon).
The first event, with a magnitude of 2.3 on the Richter scale, had its epicentre about three kilometers east of Serreta.
“According to the information available so far, the earthquake was felt with a maximum intensity of IV (Modified Mercalli scale) in the parish of Santa Bárbara (municipality of Angra do Heroísmo),” the source said in a statement.
The second earthquake, with a magnitude of 2.0, had its epicentre about three kilometers to the east-southwest of Serreta.
CIVISA said that “it was felt with maximum intensity IV (Modified Mercalli scale) in the parish of Serreta (municipality of Angra do Heroísmo)”.
According to CIVISA, both events are part of “the seismovolcanic crisis that has been underway on Terceira island since June 2022”.
According to the Richter scale, earthquakes are classified according to their magnitude as micro (less than 2.0), very small (2.0-2.9), small (3.0-3.9), slight (4.0-4.9), moderate (5.0-5.9), strong (6.0-6.9), large (7.0-7.9), important (8.0-8.9), exceptional (9.0-9.9) and extreme (when greater than 10).
The Modified Mercalli scale measures “degrees of intensity and their description”.
With an intensity of IV, considered moderate, parked cars sway, windows, doors and crockery shake, glass and crockery rattle or clink, and walls or wooden structures may creak, describes the Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) on its website.
