The recent earthquake near Lisbon, Portugal, struck offshore, with its epicenter located 58 kilometers west of Sines at a depth of 21 kilometers, according to the Portuguese Sea and Atmosphere Institute (IPMA).
Portugal, situated near the boundary of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates, has a history of seismic activity. The most notable event was the catastrophic earthquake of 1755, which claimed at least 50,000 lives and had a magnitude estimated between 8.5 and 9.0. While no subsequent quake has matched that severity, Monday’s earthquake, measured at 5.3 on the Richter scale by IPMA, was the strongest to hit the country since a 5.9 magnitude quake in 2009. Occurring at 5:11 AM local time on August 26, the tremor startled many residents. The impact on travel remains to be fully assessed, but the situation is being monitored closely.
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