The 1755 Lisbon Earthquake had not only shaken the city of Lisbon, but also affected the entire nation of Portugal. Lisbon, during those years had been one of the fastest developing cities with a population of 250,000 people. It was also considered as the most profit earning cities of the Portuguese empire. The influence of trade and industry in Lisbon had spread around the world making it one of the most important cities of mainland Europe.
Portugal had been hit by earthquakes several times 200 years before the 1755 quake, but none of them had been as devastating as this one. The devastating event occurred on November 1, 1755 and since then the day had been immortalized as the 'All Souls Day'. The quake hit the shores of Lisbon at 9:40 AM. Uncountable buildings collapsed, burying the inmates and almost all pedestrians on the street. The quake was followed by a tsunami. The back water was drawn from the land and soon it came back in form of a wave rising at the height of 50 feet, smashing down the already destroyed city. Ships, dockyards, buildings, markets and nearly everything was battered by the engulfing sea. Almost all the citizens were swept away into the sea.
The earthquake and tsunami turned the entire city upside down with the lamps and cooking fires igniting everything around. This conflagration of fire was uncontrollable. The fire continued for three consecutive days. The destruction of the city was finally completed
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with nothing more left to be destroyed. More than 60,000 people in Lisbon were estimated to have died in this disaster. Thousands more died in the adjoining areas. The quake shook the entire Western Europe and Northwestern Africa.
After few months of reconciliation, the people of Lisbon tried to put in effort for rebuilding the city.
The after effect of Lisbon earthquake was shocking. Two major aftershocks came about in December 11 and December 23, 1755, causing added misery and despair to the survivors. These strong aftershocks went on for several weeks. The earthquake caused considerable damage in Portugal as well as in other regions of Spain - specially in Madrid and Seville. The shock waves could be sensed throughout Europe and North Africa. The effect could be sensed over an area of about 1,300,000 square miles. Notable recession at water levels was marked in Spain.
More than two hundred finest, priceless paintings by Reubens, Titan and Coreggio were burned in the beautiful palace of the Marques de Lourcal. The fire swept away houses, magnificent museums, cathedrals and palaces. Lisbon's libraries housing rare and priceless documents were burned to ashes.
1755 Lisbon earthquake still bring shivers to the people of the city. The incident was one of the most perilous one in the history of Europe. Presently, Lisbon has a museum housing the photographs and illustrations of the event.
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