“People have to remain alert, they have to comply with the recommendations of official entities, keep their self-protection measures very alive and be present to put them into practice if necessary”, said the head of the Regional Civil Protection Service and Firefighters of the Azores (SRPCBA).

According to Eduardo Faria, the largest earthquake recorded in this seismovolcanic crisis, which began on March 19, was recorded at 21:56 (22:56 Lisbon time) on Tuesday and had its epicentre at sea, about two kilometres away from the village of Velas, without causing “material or human damage”.

This earthquake “follows what we have been transmitting that this crisis may involve the possibility of an eruption or a stronger earthquake”, said the president of the SRPCBA, who was speaking after the Civil Protection briefing that takes place daily on the island.

“We have to be prepared for an earthquake of greater intensity that could cause material damage”, said Eduardo Faria to journalists.