On a seemingly ordinary day, November 1st, 1755, a tremor unlike any other ripped through Lisbon, Portugal. The Great Lisbon Earthquake, estimated at a staggering 8.5-9.0 on the Richter scale, triggered a monstrous tsunami and widespread fires, leaving behind a scene of unimaginable devastation. This catastrophic event, while a horrific tragedy, became a pivotal moment in the history of construction, forever changing the way we design and build structures in earthquake-prone regions writes John Ridgeway.
Lisbon, a flourishing port city at the time, was utterly decimated. The earthquake's violent tremors caused widespread building collapses, burying thousands beneath tons of debris. The subsequent tsunami surged 49 feet (15 metres) high, further adding to the destruction along the waterfront. Estimates suggest tens of thousands perished, with some accounts reaching as high as 100,000 fatalities. The city burned for days, fuelled by the toppling of countless buildings constructed primarily of wood and unreinforced masonry. To read more, click the link:
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