10 February 2012

The Regional Government, through the Regional Secretariat of the Environment and the Sea in SIARAM site - "Sense and Interpret the Environment of the Azores, the documentary "Earthquake of January 1, 1980 - Evacuation of the Caldeira de Santo Cristo."

On January 1, 1980 a strong earthquake shook the islands of Terceira, Graciosa and São Jorge. 61 people died and 15587 were homeless.

On the north coast of the island of São Jorge the inhabitants of the Fajã da Caldeira de Santo Cristo, exposed to violence from the epicenter located in the center of the triangle of the three islands, were isolated from the world for three days.

After several attempts to escape by sea only after 72 hours were saved by the Portuguese Air Force helicopters leaving his life behind ...

This documentary tells the story of these days using the memory of people who still continue to live "under the rocks."

This is also the memory of a time where there were no organized civil protection services in the Azores and scant information on how to live in the "crater of a volcano" ...

This documentary had the collaboration of the Audiovisual Center of the Portuguese Air Force.
The documentary can be viewed at: 

http://siaram.azores.gov.pt/zonas-costeiras/faja-caldeira-santo-cristo/documentario/_intro.html

Source: GaCS / SRAM