#terramotode1755

Today I will write about the earthquake of Lisbon, November 1st, 1755.

Earthquake

The Saturday started as a normal day at Lisbon. It was November 1st 1755, the day we celebrate our saints and pay respect to the dead in Portugal (even today). Many people arrived early to the churches to hear the mass and to pay respect to their ancestors and dead love ones. But they didn’t expect what was about to happened next.

At 9.45 am the floor of Lisbon starts to shook strongly leaving their population confused and scared as everything around them starts to fall into the ground.The first earthquake lasted less then 2 minutes. When everyone was about to breath in relief a second earthquake starts just one minute after. The second one lasted more than 2 minutes. Again, once more the floor stops shaking. But one minute later the third earthquake starts and this one it’s stronger and lasted more then 3 minutes. The chaos was installed as buildings started to collapse killing the first ones on the streets, in their houses, and especially in the churches. Multiple earthquakes happened during that day.  

But the worst was about to come…

Tsunami

From the square called “Praça do Comércio” three giant waves swept out of the ocean at speeds of 800 to 965 kilometers per hour. The ocean entered into the city killing everyone in the square. Children and mothers were the first to be pulled by the strong waters. The same waters pushed the boats into the city killing others who had survive to the waves.

“There were a lot of people pulled into the Tagus River because they wanted to run away from the falling buildings, full of horror from the sight of its ruins. Behold, suddenly the sea enters the bar with a furious flood of waters, (…) passing its former boundaries it launched itself over many buildings and flooded the neighborhood of S. Paulo. The astonishment of the waters grew in all those who had sought the beaches, and the new danger spread throughout the City and its suburbs with a vague voice that said the sea was covering everything.” -  Testimony of Joaquim José Moreira de Mendonça (1758)

Fire

In other part of the city a fire was already starting. Probably caused by the candles lighted inside of the churches. The fire was strong and consumed the ruins of the buildings. Bodies that were trapped between the ruins were kill by the fire. This fire was on for many days because the firefighters couldn’t give respond to the strength of the catastrophe.

Especially in November 1, Lisbon lived a day of Terror. Bodies spread by the streets, some lifeless, others in agony with rocks above them a pieces of buildings. All the population felt this was a punishment of God so many of them asked for mercy by kneeling in the middle of te streets as all around them fell apart.  Mark Molesky in his book  “This Gulf of Fire: The Destruction of Lisbon, or Apocalypse in the Age of Science and Reason” wrote some testimonies from the era. He quote: “It started (the fire) in hundreds of places around the city, ”writes Molesky. “I could barely walk without stepping on someone dead or dying.” “In some places… mothers with their children in their arms… well-dressed rich ladies… some had broken backs or legs; others had large stones piercing their chests. “

The following days, things didn’t got better. The fire lasted more than 4 days and destroyed almost all the city. The crimes started, people didn’t had food, home, clothes, and not even their families. The prime ministry Marquês de Pombal as a respond to the tragedy said: “Bury the dead and care for the living”. He also sentence the ones who committed crimes to be hanged in public as an example to the population who thought in stealing or creating even more chaos.

Today we estimated more than 10.000 people lost their life in this catastrophe! The Earthquake affected other cities of Portugal, Spain and Marrocos. We also estimated that the earthquake had a magnitude in the range 8.5–9.0

It was said by the experts that Lisbon will surfer another earthquake in the following years. Let’s hope that won’t be as a tragedy like this ones.