Rumble Near Lisbon: A Reminder of Portugal's Seismic Past

On Thursday, a magnitude 4.1 earthquake rattled areas near Lisbon, Portugal's capital, though it appeared to spare the region from injuries or major destruction, according to the country's Institute of Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA).

This southern Lisbon region and the Azores archipelago exist within a seismically active area at the meeting point of the Eurasian and African tectonic plates. However, seismic activity has been relatively calm recently. The IPMA reported that, based on available information, there were no reports of personal or material damage from the quake.

In an earlier statement, the IPMA indicated that the earthquake's epicenter was around the town of Alenquer, approximately 45 km north of Lisbon, occurring at a depth of 15 km. This event calls to mind past seismic incidents, such as the significant quake in August 2025 and the devastating Lisbon earthquake of 1755.