Patiently waiting for a flight back to the lush green mid-Atlantic volcanic island he calls home, hotel owner Filipe Azevedo cannot hide the fear. Sao Jorge, in Portugal's Azores, is bracing for what could be a major natural disaster.
The island has been rattled by thousands of small earthquakes in recent days, and there are fears that the more than 2,000 tremors recorded since last Saturday could trigger a volcanic eruption or a powerful quake."We are all very anxious," 42-year-old Azevedo said at the airport gate in Sao Miguel, Azores' biggest island, a short plane trip away from Sao Jorge. "It is a phenomenon for which we are not prepared ... we are all very scared.
The region's emergency plan has been activated, and all is prepared to evacuate locals if needed, authorities have said. Dozens of care home residents and those hospitalised in Sao Jorge's Velas municipality, likely to be the most vulnerable, have been transferred to Calheta, on the opposite side of the island.
Also in Velas, people living on the so-called fajas, small plains at the bottom of cliffs originally created by lava or landslides, have been told to leave. Many locals have left the island on their own terms. Local government figures showed around 1,250 left Sao Jorge by air or sea in the last two days."I'm scared to death, not just for myself but for everyone who lives there ," said 41-year-old Fonseca, a restaurant worker who moved to the Azores in search of a better life. "It's hard.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Azores volcanic island hit by thousands of quakes starts evacuation as fears growAuthorities on a mid-Atlantic Portuguese island hit by thousands of small earthquakes in recent days started evacuating people living at the bottom of coastal cliffs on Thursday as fears of a stronger tremor or a volcanic eruption grow.
Read more »
Azores volcanic island hit by thousands of quakes starts evacuation as fears growAuthorities on a mid-Atlantic Portuguese island hit by thousands of small earthquakes in recent days started evacuating people living at the bottom of coastal cliffs on Thursday as fears of a stronger tremor or a volcanic eruption grow.
Read more »
Jeffrey Epstein’s ‘Pedophile Island’ hitting the market for $125MKnown as Great St. James and Little St. James, the islands have been fairly untouched since Jeffrey Epstein’s death by apparent suicide in 2019.
Read more »
Fertilizer Prices Surge as Ukraine War Cuts Supply, Leaving Farmers ShockedSmaller harvests loom from Argentina to Indonesia as the Russia-Ukraine war cuts global fertilizer supplies. “It’s like a scary movie,” a farmer says.
Read more »
Jeffrey Epstein’s infamous islands are up for grabs at $125 millionTwo Caribbean islands owned by the infamous financier Jeffrey Epstein, including Little St. James Island, have surfaced for sale for $125 million.
Read more »
Attorneys: Man gets $8M after bar serves him chemicals instead of beerLon Enwright 'suffered permanent nerve and tissue damage to his mouth, tongue, and gastrointestinal system,' according to his attorneys.
Read more »