Good News In History, October 2
Good News In History, October 2 68 years ago today, a new island, or Ilha Novo , appeared on the edge of the westernmost island (Faial) in the Azores chain after the eruption of Capelinhos, or “little cape,” one of many submerged cone volcanoes in the area. The eruption caused no deaths, however it did wreck many houses and reduce the population of the island by half—most of whom evacuated and immigrated to the US under the Azorean Refugee Act, passed under John F. Kennedy. It did extend Faial’s land area by 3 square kilometers though, and blanketed the surrounding slopes with volcanic ash that spawned lush forests and a tourism boom. READ more… (1957) Marlene Angeja CC 2.0. BY-SA Apart from the dramatic view of the sea from the newly-formed sea cliff resulting from the erupted mass, a visit to Capelinhos includes an underground interpretation center where visitors can learn about the volcanic history of the area and the Azores at large through the pictures and footage of the dramatic eru…
