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Azores: Fear of large earthquake is growing
STORY: Welcome to the Azores. A popular destination for travelers. Located in the Atlantic. However, there is currently fear on the Portuguese archipelago. Great fear even of a violent earthquake. Because at the beginning of the second half of March, thousands of smaller earthquakes were registered. Hotel owner Filipe Azevedo fears the worst: “We’re all very nervous. Although we’re residents of the Azores, we’re not used to earthquakes happening regularly. It’s a phenomenon we’re not prepared for. It comes as a surprise to us . And we are all very scared.” The Volcano Monitoring Center recently increased the alert level to 4 out of a possible 5. This means there is a “real possibility” that the Pico da Esperança volcano on the central Azores island of São Jorge will erupt for the first time since 1808. With around 8,400 inhabitants, São Jorge is one of the most sparsely populated of the nine islands. However, according to the authorities, the region’s emergency plan has already been activated and everyone is prepared to evacuate residents as soon as possible if necessary.
Thousands of smaller tremors have been registered since March 19.