Along its history the island has experienced many natural crises resulting in general suffering and some deaths . In the summer of 1844 , during a heatwave , wherein agriculture was fatally affected and the risk of death to animals and settlers was grave , José Silvestre Ribeiro ( then Administrator General of the District of Angra do Heroísmo ) , sent 90 wooden barrels with water and ordered the digging of several tidal wells and trenches to carry water from the mountains . These measures were instrumental in alleviating the conditions on the island , along with a strong storm on the night of August 20 . The island has also suffered many seismic events , many of which caused destruction of homes and deaths . It was the case on June 13 , 1730 , when an earthquake near Luz caused damage to many homes and damaged severally the parochial church . Further earthquakes occurred in March 1787 and in 1817 without causing considerable damage . But it was not the case in 1837 , when earthquakes , around January 12 and at the end of February , left most homes in Praia with some damage . The church in Luz almost collapsed to the ground and many died . In Luz , and specifically in the area of Carapacho , in addition to areas in the neighbouring parish of Guadalupe , were also affected by the 1980 earthquake , with general destruction in residential areas
1980 earthquake
1980 Azores Islands earthquake
Graciosa