An emergency drill to test Lisbon’s tsunami warning system and evacuation routes was carried out at the Terreiro do Paço on Tuesday morning, 24th March.
Portugal’s extensive Atlantic coastline has left it historically exposed to tsunamis, most notably the devastating effects of the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, and its accompanying tsunami. On the morning of 1st November 1755, a powerful earthquake struck near Lisbon, followed by a series of tsunami waves that surged up the River Tejo and inundated the lower parts of the city. Thousands who had fled to the waterfront for safety were caught off guard as the sea rapidly retreated and then returned with destructive force, contributing to a death toll that is estimated in the tens of thousands.
Tuesday’s exercise marked the first test of the capital’s tsunami alert system. Sirens sounded across the square, accompanied by audio messages indicating that it was a simulated evacuation in the event of an emergency.
More than 100 personnel took part in the operation, including members of Proteção Civil, the Municipal Police, the Polícia de Segurança Pública and the Autoridade Marítima Nacional.
Carlos Moedas, mayor of Lisbon, said he intends to propose holding similar drills every two months. However, the municipal Civil Protection director confirmed that only one additional exercise is currently planned for later this year.
Although no tsunami since has matched the scale of the infamous 1755 one, Portugal has experienced smaller events linked to seismic activity along the Azores-Gibraltar fault zone. In 1969, a strong offshore earthquake generated modest sea-level disturbances along parts of the Portuguese coast, serving as a reminder that the risk, while infrequent, has not disappeared.
Source: JN
