4.1 earthquake off Santa Maria in the Azores
Açoriano Oriental report that an earthquake of 4.1 on the Richter scale was felt on the island of Santa Maria, in Vila do Porto, São Pedro, Almagreira and Santo Espírito, , revealed today the Civil Protection.
On the Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service website, it is reported that the earthquake was recorded by the Azores Seismovolccan Information and Surveillance Center (CIVISA), at 22:40 local time on Monday (23:40 in Lisbon) , with an epicenter about 51 kilometers east of Santo Espírito, on the island of Santa Maria, located in the eastern group of the Azorean archipelago.
“According to the information available so far, the earthquake was felt with maximum intensity III/IV (Modified Mercalli Scale) in Vila do Porto, São Pedro, Almagreira and Santo Espírito (municipality of Vila do Porto)”, adds the Protection Civil.
The Modified Mercalli Scale measures the “degrees of intensity and respective description” and, when there is an intensity of IV, considered “Moderate”, “parked cars shake”, “windows, doors and dishes shake” and “glasses and dishes collide or jingle”, walls or wooden structures can creak, reveals the Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) on its website.
With intensity III, considered Weak, the shock is “felt inside the house” and “the hanging objects sway”, feeling a “vibration similar to that caused by the passage of heavy vehicles”, according to the IPMA.
