According to the Information and Surveillance Center of the Azores (CIVISA): “We have already recorded, in the last 24 hours, about seven hundred earthquakes, all of low magnitude, following a seismic crisis that originated on Saturday in the Manadas volcanic fissure system, on the island of São Jorge, but only 48 of them were felt by the population”, explained the president of CIVISA, Rui Marques.

“All the earthquakes felt in São Jorge since 5:11 pm on Saturday [6:11 pm in Lisbon] are of tectonic origin”, assured Rui Marques, adding that the earthquake of greater magnitude, 3.2 on the Richter scale, was recorded at 2:43 on 20 March and reached grade IV/V on the modified Mercalli scale, having been felt by the populations of São Jorge and also of the island of Pico”.

Four CIVISA technicians travelled to the island of São Jorge, to closely monitor the evolution of the seismic crisis, which occurs in an area between the village of Velas, county seat, in the south of the island, and Fajã do Ouvidor, on the north coast, belonging to the same municipality.

“We are still evaluating the behaviour pattern of this seismic crisis, which is now in a phase of lower energy release”, explained the president of CIVISA, adding that the seismic events “are now progressing towards the village of Velas”.