Earthquake Recorded in Offshore Region
A moderate earthquake with a magnitude of 5.7 was recorded early Friday in the Madeira-Tore region, an underwater area between Madeira, the Azores, and mainland Portugal.
Madeira had quite a few earthquakes in recent years, raising the question: Is Madeira in danger of earthquakes?
According to the Portuguese Institute for Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA), the quake was initially measured at 5.8 but later recalculated. It occurred at 02:29 local time and was registered by the mainland seismic network. The epicenter was about 510 kilometers north-northwest of Porto Santo island.
IPMA confirmed that the earthquake caused no personal or material damage. The tremor was felt with intensity level II–III on the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale in Madeira, and with lower intensity in Setúbal and Lisbon.
Second, Smaller Tremor Followed
At 03:28, about an hour after the first quake, a second tremor occurred in the same region. This smaller event had a magnitude of 2.9 and took place at a depth of 10 kilometers. It was not widely felt and caused no reported damage.
According to IPMA, a level II on the Mercalli scale may be felt by people at rest in upper floors of buildings. A level III, considered weak, is felt indoors, with hanging objects swaying slightly and vibrations similar to those caused by heavy vehicles.
IPMA Explains Seismic Classification
IPMA classifies earthquakes by magnitude using the Richter scale, which ranges from micro (under 2.0) to extreme (above 10). Events between 5.0 and 5.9, such as this one, are considered moderate.
Source: Diário de NotÃcias Madeira
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