Azores situation report Wednesday 23rd March 2022
From our colleague in the Azores
Breaking news:
Following the current earthquake-volcanic crisis that has been recorded since March 19th, on the island of São Jorge, and taking into account the latest information made available by the Center for Seismo volcanic Information and Surveillance of the Azores (CIVISA), which does not exclude possible events of greater magnitude, the Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service of the Azores (SRPCBA) is advising against all non-essential travel to the island of São Jorge, such as sporting or cultural activities, so as not to create additional constraints possible assistance to the population.
Covid-19
The Regional Health Authority in the Azores only releases Covid-19 epidemiological and vaccination data on Fridays and not daily.
Here is the data for the 7 days Sat 12th March until Friday the 18th March inclusive. There were 245 more cases registered during this period and 1291 recoveries. The number of active cases in the region is now 1982 and sadly there have been 3 more deaths bringing the total to 97. There are 15 patients in the region’s hospitals with one patient in the ICU.
São Jorge Earthquakes
The municipal emergency plan of the municipality of Velas, in São Jorge, was activated this Monday at 5 pm as a “preventive measure” due to the seismic activity felt since Saturday on that island of the Azores.
Seismic activity in São Jorge continues “far above” reference values, according to the Azores Seismo volcanic Information and Surveillance Centre (CIVISA), which does not exclude the possibility of an event of greater magnitude or possible eruption.
“We continue with a seismicity that is clearly well above what is normal for this volcanic fissure system. Since Saturday, approximately 1800 events have been recorded and 94 of these have been felt. All earthquakes recorded in the CIVISA network are of tectonic origin, at the moment”, explained the president of CIVISA, Rui Marques.
According to the researcher, the fact that the crisis “is located in the so-called fissure volcanic system of ‘Das Mandas’ leads to it being called a seismo volcanic crisis”.
“We have to put all possible scenarios on the table, not discarding anyone, at the level of civil protection, emergency planning, risk management”, remembering that it is “an active volcanic system” which “had an eruption in 1580 and another in 1808”.
The president of CIVISA explained that, on the one hand, there is “the possibility” of the occurrence of “an earthquake with a magnitude greater” than the events that have been recorded in São Jorge.
“It doesn’t take a lot of magnitude for there to be damage. We are talking about epicentres very close to the Velas. And, on the other hand, this seismicity is occurring with a very high frequency in an active volcanic system, which could evolve into what is a volcanic eruption”, he stressed.
Rui Marques underlined, however, that CIVISA continues to carry out “measurements of carbon dioxide in the soil”, adding that now, “there are no changes” “relative to the values of the past”.
On Sunday, four researchers from CIVISA travelled from São Miguel to the island of São Jorge with “the purpose of increasing the capacity for on-site monitoring” of the seismic crisis, which occurs in an area between the village of Velas, in the south of the island, and Fajã do Ouvidor, on the north coast.
Two seismic stations were transported to the island, joining the two that already existed on São Jorge.
“If there is any change in the system, it will be communicated to the Civil Protection bodies”, he said, referring that the populations must maintain “calm”, being “attentive to the information that is transmitted by official bodies”, but “they must not disperse against information that “sometimes they looked to sources other than the official ones”.
SRPCBA
The Civil Protection of the Azores “is preparing preventive measures that can be adopted in a possible scenario of an earthquake of greater magnitude or a possible eruption” in São Jorge, resulting from the seismo volcanic crisis.
“The Azores Regional Civil Protection and Fire Service (SRPCBA) informs that it is preparing preventive measures that can be adopted in a possible scenario of a greater magnitude earthquake or a possible eruption, resulting from the seismo volcanic crisis that is being recorded, since March 19, on the island of São Jorge”, reads a statement sent to newsrooms.
According to Civil Protection, the measures are being designed in conjunction with the municipalities and agents with responsibility around aid to the populations, revealing that “a technician from the SRPCBA is already on the island of São Jorge to meet with the municipalities and provide support” and “the dispatch of support equipment is being implemented to reinforce the island’s response capacity in case of need”.
President of the Azorean government cancels his trip to Brazil due to the seismic crisis in São Jorge
The president of the Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, will not be part of the official visit of the executive to Brazil, scheduled for Wednesday, due to the seismic crisis on the island of São Jorge
He said, “I have been closely following the seismic crisis that the island of São Jorge is going through. I had planned to leave for Brazil on Wednesday, on an official visit, but given the circumstances I chose not to follow the entourage”.
A source from the Regional Government told Lusa that Bolieiro will have an informal conversation about the seismic crisis in São Jorge with the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and with the Prime Minister, António Costa, at the meeting of the Superior Council for National Defence, which will take place at Palácio da Cidadela, in Cascais.
“If this record of a decrease in cases and hospitalizations is maintained, none in intensive care, for a few more weeks, and realizing that this decrease is consolidated, there will no longer be mandatory use of a mask”, said the regional secretary for Health and Azores Sports, Clélio Meneses.
The parties, which refer to the image of “Ecce Homo”, take place in the city of Ponta Delgada, in the Azores, on the fifth Sunday after Easter.
“For now, this appeal is made to all Azoreans, families, companies, institutions, who are available to receive families, to communicate with us, to make a reception to the Ukrainian people, suffering in an unjust war”, highlighted the chief executive. Azorean, at the end of an audience granted to a Ukrainian citizen, residing in Portugal, who has a business in the Azores.
The National Maritime Authority and the Navy appeal to the population to redouble care, “both when preparing to go to sea, and when they are at sea or in coastal areas”.
“We have a Ukrainian community in the Azores, which, if they understand being able to welcome and receive their relatives here, will be with open arms that the Autonomous Region of the Azores will welcome Ukrainians who decide to come looking for peace in the Azores”, said the chief executive. Azorean, in statements to journalists, in Ponta Delgada, while he was meeting with the operational commander of the Azores, Lieutenant General Luís Morgado Baptista.