British holidaymakers have been told to steer clear of a Portuguese island that has been struck by more than 1,000 earthquakes in just one week. Scientists have been detecting seismic activity and while no significant damage has been caused so far, authorities are now looking to evacuate residents.
The island of Sao Jorge in the Azores has been hit by 1,100 quakes in a few days and people are being warned not to travel to the island unless it's absolutely necessary, with activities and tours being cancelled. People who are in hospital or those who have mobility issues are being evacuated, reports the Mirror.
As a result, the UK Foreign Office has updated its advice for Brits warning: "The Portuguese Civil Protection authorities in the Azores have been monitoring an increase in seismic activity on the island of São Jorge since 19 March. As a precaution, they have now activated their earthquake prevention plan and have advised against all but essential travel to the island. Anyone who is already on the island of São Jorge is asked to avoid the areas of flat terrain, known locally as Fajãs, at the foot of the cliffs overlooking the sea in the Velas municipality."
If you were due to travel to Sao Jorge or its surrounding areas, you can find out more and get further updates on the Foreign Office website. The President of the Regional Government of the Azores, José Manuel Bolieiro, said in a statement that authorities were preferring to exercise "excessive prudence" following the recent seismic activity. He said: "Although the events have not yet been dramatic in the sense of causing damage, it is good to be vigilant and, in this case, with excess prudence rather than negligence in the action".
The rest of the Azores remain unaffected by the seismic activity, so if you have a holiday planned to a different island it's likely to be going ahead as planned. Travellers heading to the Azores will be subject to entry rules almost identical to those for mainland Portugal.
Fully vaccinated Brits can visit without needing a Covid test, while travellers who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated will need a negative test pre-travel. This can a PCR test taken within 72 hours before travel, or an antigen test taken within 48 hours before travel. All travellers will also need to complete a passenger locator form before travelling, regardless of their Covid vaccination status.
