Urzelina (volcano)

The Urzelina volcano was a volcanic eruption that happened in 1808 and destroyed the parish of Urzelina in the island of São Jorge in the Azores, it created a mysterious basalt which was formed in the present Ponta da Urzelina'.

In those weeks in which occurred many earthquakes on May 1, 1808, the earth shook frequently that it produced eight tremors per hour, this powerful strength caused widespread panic to the local population. It created several large fumes that spread across Urzelin and the island. The eruption had also affected Manadas as well.

The eruption began in the early days and destroyed many houses and buildings as well as farmlands. The eruption also creared suffocating gases that were harmful to the population and probably emitted carboxylic acid. The opacity received water vapoud which condensed with greenish vapours from the volcano brought the mixture of gases and vapors. It rapidly spread on the plants proved that it was mixed with chloric acid and sulfuric acid expelled with the aqueous vapours. The destructive effects caused a calorific power with its natural chemical properties differently in 1808. The eruption also spewed out vaporous masses and opalines.

In the Historical Archive shows a view of the eruption of the island of Faial.

Description about the eruption

In the work "Ilha de S. Jorge (Açores); Apontamentos para a sua História" by José Cândido da Silveira Avelar, Minerva Insulana, Horta, 1902, pg 430, it has several descriptions on the eruption.

Description from Dr. João Teixeira Soares

Dr. João Teixeira Soares, wrote a narrative of the same eruption, published in the journal "Jorgense", numbers 21, 22 of August 15 and September 1, 1872, written as "Archivo dos Açores" ("Archive of the Azores"), vol. V, pg 442 and 443 stated:

"It was the day (June 5) until the tenth day that created and emission, covered a large part of the island".

The volcanic activity from its craters created fumes for many times, with many years, it created fumes that flowed to the east and west and caused a large surge in the temperatures, devastating vegetation.

Description from Fouqué

In the "Revue Scientifique de la France a de l’Etranger" ("Scientific Review Of France On Foreign Places"), second series, second year, number 51, June 21, 1873, pg 1200 with the title (Saint George (Açores) = Saint George (Azores), former name) published by Ferdinand André Fouqué described the eruptions of 1580 and 1808 verified the two craters which he visited and transcribes in volume V of the "Archivo dos Açores", apges 444 and 445. He departed in Calheta on June 8, 1987, accompanied with Dr. João Pereira da Cunha Pacheco

Description from João Soares de Albergaria de Sousa

In the "Corographia Açorica", pg 94., illustrated by João Soares de Albergaria de Sousa, described the 1808e eruption:

The first spew expelled for several days large quantities of materials, seven days without the sun due to the atmospheric density, impregnated volcanic vapours, the island suffered many and violent damages, its total length was from 4 to 6 palmos (about 150 to 200 m).

Other observations and facts

Francisco Ferreira Drummond, in his "Anais da Ilha Terceira" ("Annals of Terceira Island"), vol. II, pg 184 referred to this phenomenon which was seen in the island of Terceira, which lasted several days.

Several earthquakes caused the town hall of Horta to move to Velas an offered hospitality for persons (António Lourenço da Silveira Macedo, "História das Quatro Ilhas que Formam o Distrito da Horta", volime 1, pg 300 and 542).

Rock excavations made in June 1877 in the municipality of Urzelina, a house once owned by Sr. Jorge Soares de Avelar, it also founded other ruins.