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STORY: Experts warned on Tuesday that the earthquake-hit volcanic island of Sao Jorge, in Portugal’s Azores archipelago, could see an eruption like that of Spain’s La Palma…

which destroyed thousands of properties and crops over 85 days.

The lush mid-Atlantic island has been rattled by more than 20,000 small earthquakes, which reached a magnitude of up to 3.3, in the past 11 days.

Eduardo Farias is head of the Azores’ civil protection authority, CIVISA.

“We are still on level 4 of volcanic alert and this is the message I would like to transmit: the magnitude of the earthquakes has reduced slightly and is on the threshold between those felt and non-felt but the population must stay alert, they must not relax, and must keep the self-protective measures on the table.”

Elderly people and those with reduced mobility have been evacuated from Velas, the municipality where most of the seismic activity has been recorded, and many locals have left the island in fear.

Francisco Fonseca is head of Sao Jorge’s health units.

“If there is a need and we hope that there isn't, a team is already prepared to act on the ground. All health professionals on the island are also aware of the action plan, are motivated, and are prepared to act in case of need.”

Experts at the Canary Islands Volcanology Institute, Involcan, which monitored the La Palma eruption. said on Tuesday about 20 million cubic meters of lava could be spewed out on Sao Jorge if an eruption takes place.

Farias said CIVISA would analyze Involcan data, but also asked Sao Jorge’s about 8,400 residents not to panic.