LISBON — A 4.1 magnitude earthquake rattled southern Portugal’s Algarve region on Sunday morning, though authorities say there are no reports of injuries or property damage, according to the country’s sea and atmosphere institute, known as IPMA.
IPMA reported the quake struck at 7:59 a.m. and was felt by residents in the cities of Lagos and Portimao. Based on information available at the time, officials said there were no casualties or structural damage to report.
The earthquake’s epicenter was traced to the Atlantic Ocean, roughly 70 kilometers off Cape St. Vincent, according to IPMA.
Southern Portugal and the Lisbon region sit along a geologically active boundary where the Eurasian and African tectonic plates meet, though seismic activity in the area has been relatively quiet in recent years.
The region has a long history with destructive earthquakes. In 1755, a massive quake and the tsunami that followed it devastated the Portuguese capital, killing an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 people — making it one of the deadliest seismic events in European history.
More recently, in 1969, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake — also centered off Cape St. Vincent — killed at least 13 people and left dozens more injured across the region.
