#FlashbackFriday: 1980—A 7.0 Earthquake Strikes the Azores, and the Exchange Responds

On New Year’s Day 1980, 44 years ago this month, an earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck the Azores, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic roughly 900 miles west of Lisbon, Portugal.

The quake, the strongest in 20 years, affected four islands: Terceira, Sao Jorge, Graciosa and Pico. The United States has an air base at Lajes, which is on Terceira. And where there’s an air base, there’s an Exchange.

The day after the earthquake, Exchange vehicles delivered clothing and blankets to children from two orphanages that were leveled by the quake. The Azores Exchange general manager contacted the Mid-Atlantic Area general manager, requesting necessity items such as flashlights, oil lamps, Coleman lanterns, tents, sleeping bags, collapsible water bags and matches. The requested merchandise arrived within a week of the quake.

The majority of islanders affected by the quake were civilians. Houses were reduced to rubble, power went out and the only communication between Terceira and the rest of the world was the military radio station at Lajes Field. American and Portuguese military forces launched emergency operations to provide supplies to those affected by the quake, and shelters were set up at schools and other facilities.

One Exchange associate and his wife were in the process of adopting a 12-year-old boy from the Azores when the quake hit. The boy was in one of the orphanages hardest-hit by the quake, but the boy escaped and was living with friends. The couple completed the adoption process. The boy was their fourth adopted child; they had two other children as well.

About 30 Exchange associates reported damage to their homes. Exchange vehicles were provided to assist them in moving furniture and hauling building materials.

One associate said that he was in his living room when the house started rocking violently. Those who were home managed to get outside. “My family and I found ourselves … watching the back of our home fall apart,” the associate said. “We had no time to save any of our belongings. It all happened so fast.”

The associate’s 23-year-old daughter was on her way home when she was hit by stones falling from buildings. She suffered a broken pelvis and broken hand but was immediately hospitalized and treated.

Another associate’s 1-year-old daughter was inside a building that collapsed. He managed to get into the building, clear some debris and rescue his baby, who was not hurt, from her crib.

An Exchange associate who was talking with a friend when the 1980 Azores earthquake happened heard a deafening rumble and a loud crash. As he headed home, he saw this.

An Exchange management specialist was talking with a friend on a bench in the town of Praia da Vitoria’s main square when the ground began shaking. He described seeing the buildings across the street start bending “as if they were trying to kiss one another.”

Church bells started ringing by themselves, and he and his friend heard a deafening rumble and a crash. As he began to make his way home, he discovered that the crash sound came from one of the parish church towers collapsing. He came home to find his wife and daughter shaken up and crying but uninjured. His house sustained only minor damage.

Immediately after hearing about the quake’s severity, the chief of the Capitol Exchange Region issued a worldwide appeal for donations to the Azores Area Exchange Relief Fund. Contributions poured in from stores and associates around the world. The Exchange Post reported in its July 1980 issue that contributions exceeded $12,500.

Only 40% of the Azores Exchange workforce took leave after the quake—and nobody was out for more than three days. Except for a beauty shop and a garage that were closed the day after the quake, Exchange facilities maintained their normal hours.

The Exchange has had a presence in the Azores since World War II, when U.S. installations helped protect vital North Atlantic air and sea lanes. The Exchange currently has an Express at Lajes Field, home of the 65^th Air Base Wing, which provides base and en route support for Department of Defense, allied nations and other authorized aircraft in transit. The Express is part of the Kaiserlautern Military Community Consolidated Exchange.

Sources: Exchange Post archives, U.S. Air Force (www.af.mil)