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The 5.4 magnitude earthquake that struck on Monday, 26th, with its epicenter 58 km west of Sines in the Setúbal district of Portugal, caused no loss of life or property. However, the danger of a larger earthquake is imminent.
Lisbon is Europe’s second most earthquake-prone city and the tremors felt in the Portuguese capital today reminded the Portuguese of the 1755 earthquake that killed 10,000 people.
On November 1 of the same year, a collision of tectonic plates near Lisbon triggered an earthquake that almost completely destroyed the city and also affected large parts of the Algarve and Setúbal coastlines.
The earthquake was followed by a tsunami (believed to be 20 meters high) and numerous fires, making it one of the deadliest earthquakes in history.
However, the focus in the Portuguese media today is on how prepared the country is for an earthquake of the same magnitude that was predicted to occur in 1755. The answer is unanimous: Portugal is not prepared for an earthquake of this magnitude.
The next major earthquake in Lisbon could kill between 17,000 and 27,000 people and leave hundreds of thousands homeless, Lusa news agency quoted civil engineer and earthquake expert Mario Lopes as saying.
Meanwhile, the Portuguese government asked citizens to remain calm: “No human or material damage has been recorded so far”, the statement stressed, stressing that the authorities are ready to respond to possible emergencies.
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