A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck off the Portuguese coast on August 26 at 5:11 AM, with its epicenter located 58 kilometers west of Sines in the Setúbal district.

The tremors were felt widely across Portugal, impacting nearly ten million people, including residents in the Greater Lisbon area, Porto, and even parts of southern Spain.

Fortunately, there have been no reports of casualties or significant damage, although assessments are ongoing for potential cracks in buildings, particularly in Sesimbra.

The earthquake raised concerns about disaster preparedness and prompted discussions on risk prevention and mitigation strategies.

In response to the quake, the government urged the public to remain calm and follow the recommendations of the National Emergency and Civil Protection Authority.

Paulo Rangel, the acting Prime Minister, emphasized the importance of the event as a test of the country's emergency response capabilities.

Following the earthquake, many individuals sought information online but encountered difficulties accessing the Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) website.

Despite the challenges, residents received alerts on their Android devices as part of the emergency notification system.

Officials clarified that the earthquake did not meet the threshold of 6.1 on the Richter scale required to activate special emergency plans.

This incident highlighted vulnerabilities in disaster preparedness, as only 19% of homes in Portugal have insurance coverage for seismic risks.

The IPMA received over 19,000 reports detailing the effects of the earthquake through an online macroseismic questionnaire.

The event served as a stark reminder of the potential dangers associated with living near seismic faults, particularly for residents in Lisbon.