An earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale was recorded in the early hours of this morning in the Algarve, with the shock “felt with maximum intensity III in the Albufeira region.”
The earthquake was registered at 01:49, with an epicenter located 98 kilometres south-southwest of Faro, the IPMA said in a statement.
The shock “was felt with maximum intensity III (modified Mercalli scale) in the Albufeira region”, added the institute. The Modified Mercalli scale measures “degrees of intensity and respective description”.
When there is intensity III, considered weak, the shock is “felt inside the house” and “hanging objects swing”, feeling a “vibration similar to that caused by the passage of heavy vehicles”, say the IPMA on its website .
According to the Richter scale, earthquakes are classified according to their magnitude as micro (less than 2.0), very small (2.0-2.9), small (3.0-3.9), slight (4 ,0-4.9), moderate (5.0-5.9), strong (6.0-6.9), large (7.0-7.9), important (8.0-8.9 ), exceptional (9.0-9.9) and extreme (when higher than 10).
