After Azores’ Faial 3.9-Magnitude Quake, Residents and Hoteliers Urged to Act

The Portugal Seismo-Volcanic Information Centre (CIVISA) has confirmed a 3.9-magnitude tremor off the west coast of Faial, an event that underlines the Azores’ chronic but usually mild seismic swaying.

Why This Matters

• No reported damage, but quakes of this size remind residents to refresh emergency plans.

• Insurance window: insurers give 30-day grace periods after a felt event; act now if your Faial property is still uninsured.

• Tourism season starts in March; hotel owners should reassure guests and review evacuation signage.

How the Ground Moved

At 18:47 local time on 13 February, sensors placed by CIVISA detected the quake’s epicentre roughly 62 km west of Capelo. Shaking reached Intensity III on the Modified Mercalli Scale—enough to make chandeliers sway, but far from the level that cracks walls. Locals in Feteira and Capelo felt a short, low-frequency rumble comparable to a heavy truck passing. The event sits at the upper edge of the “small” category on the Richter scale, well below the destructive threshold.

A Hotspot Forged by Three Tectonic Plates

The Azores archipelago straddles the North American, Eurasian and Nubian plates, forming a geological tri-border. This junction produces a conveyor belt of moderate quakes. The sector west of Faial, labelled SZ43 by researchers, has been the most active pocket in recent years, with energy releases clustering along a submarine fault zone. While mainland Portugal experiences rarer seismic jolts, the Azores absorb thousands of micro-events annually, most never noticed by humans.

What This Means for Residents

Even a light shake is a handy rehearsal. Portugal Civil Protection recommends keeping a 72-hour emergency kit, reviewing home insurance clauses for “actos sísmicos” and practising the Baixar-Proteger-Aguardar drill with family members. Builders planning renovations on older stone houses must follow the Regulamento de Estruturas em Zonas Sísmicas—failure to add metal ties or shear walls can void insurance payouts. For renters, note that landlords cannot legally evict tenants who request post-quake safety inspections.

Five Years, Many Rumbles

A glance at IPMA bulletins shows the island riding a wave of mid-3 to low-4 magnitude events:

• 11 Jan 2021 – M 5.4, the strongest since the 1998 crisis, felt IV/V.

• July 2023 – a week-long swarm peaking at M 4.2 kept residents on edge.

• 13 Jun 2025 – M 3.8 west-north-west of Capelo, intensity II in Horta.The current quake slots neatly into this pattern—another reminder that the ground here seldom rests for long.

Expert Outlook: Replica Risk Remains Low but Real

Seismologist Susana Custódio explains that an event under magnitude 4 “rarely triggers a damaging aftershock sequence,” yet minor replicas—a M 2.0-2.5 flutter—should be expected over the coming weeks. CIVISA is keeping its network on heightened alert; residents can track live data through the free sismo@IPMA app. Should vibration levels spike, Civil Protection will send SMS warnings within seconds.

Bottom Line for Homeowners & Travellers

For now the 3.9-magnitude Faial quake is a textbook case of the Azores doing what volcanic islands do: rumble politely. Use the lull to shore up preparedness, check structural resilience and, if you host visitors, share accurate information. Living amid tectonic crossroads may be inevitable, but getting caught off-guard is optional.