The earthquake on Monday, felt intensely in the capital, had a magnitude below the scale defined for activating the plans – 6.1 on the Richter scale.

The approval of the Special Civil Protection Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area and Neighboring Municipalities dates back to 2009, but it has not been revised since 2014. In the case of the Algarve, the document was drawn up in 2014, with a review in 2019, and includes the risk of tsunami, when a wave height equal to or greater than three metres is recorded, along the entire Algarve coast.

But what do these plans define? They detail all operational management, in the event of a seismic event. They define who acts, what the hierarchy is on the ground and how everything is operationalised, according to a report by JN.

In the case of Lisbon, it is detailed that the operations centre would operate at the facilities of the National Civil Protection Authority (ANEPC), in Carnaxide, or, if these were inoperative, at Air Base 1, in Sintra. Areas for receiving reinforcements, concentration and reserve areas, support for the population and “collection of the dead” are also stipulated.

Lisbon airport would be made available to concentrate victims and even provide them with medical care. It is also established that bodies would be deposited there. In order to evacuate localities, Transtejo and Softlusa boats are expected to be requisitioned, as well as CP trains.

INEM, police authorities, the Armed Forces and telecommunications operators, among many other entities, have a role to play in the event of a disaster.