Earthquake with magnitude 3.0 felt on the island of São Jorge

An earthquake measuring 3.0 on the Richter scale was felt early Wednesday morning on the Azores island of São Jorge, the Azores Seismovolcanic Surveillance and Information Center (CIVISA) reported.

According to CIVISA, the earthquake was recorded at 2:31 am (one hour more in Lisbon) and had its epicenter approximately 21 kilometers north-northeast of Topo, in the municipality of Calheta.

“According to the information available so far, the earthquake was felt with a maximum intensity of III (Modified Mercalli scale) at Topo,” it is stated.

The event is part of the seismic activity "that has been recorded in the Central group since June 2022. " The Central group of the archipelago is composed of five islands: São Jorge, Faial, Pico, Graciosa and Terceira.

CIVISA, which continues to monitor the evolution of the situation, does not rule out the possibility of “new events that will be felt by the population.”

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 III, considered weak, the tremor is felt inside the house and hanging objects sway, feeling a “vibration similar to that caused by the passage of heavy vehicles”, describes the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere on its website.