Island Vulnerability https://www.islandvulnerability.org/azores.html Azores Island Vulnerability explores the challenges which isolated geographies face when dealing with risk and disasters by examining the processes which create, maintain, and could be used to reduce their vulnerability. This page provides photos of São Miguel, Azores, all copyright Ilan Kelman (2003).
Sete Cidades caldera and town. Commentary by Ilan Kelman on 17 August 2003: The photo above shows the caldera of Sete Cidades volcano with the ocean visible at the top left, behind the mountains. Just below the ocean in the photograph, also on the left side, sits the town of Sete Cidades--population 858 according to the 2001 census. The town sits entirely inside the caldera, more than 300 metres below the caldera's rim. While visiting São Miguel in 2003, I was told the possibly apocryphal tale that, even up to the 1990's, some residents of the town of Sete Cidades had never left the caldera. Despite living on a small island in the middle of the ocean, these people would have experienced the two main bodies of water in the caldera--Lagoa Azul in the background and Lagoa Verde in the foreground--as representing the largest amount of water possible in one place. They would be living in their own island on an island--an isolated caldera on an isolated island. I would be curious regarding any other information or opinions on this tale and, if it were true, the effects on the culture of the paradox of being surrounded by water yet perhaps not fully understanding that situation. Or did the people fully understand the ocean without having seen it? In the meantime, I offer a poem written after hearing the story. I Have Never Seen the Sea Ponta Delgada, the capital of São Miguel. View over São Miguel. Vulnerability and resilience: People of São Miguel. Vulnerability and resilience: People of São Miguel. Vulnerability and resilience: A tale of two roofs. Vulnerability and resilience: Constructing a dwelling. Hazard: Bubbling pool in Furnas. Vulnerability and resilience: Dwelling and transportation route. Hazard: Falling rocks. Hazard: Earthquakes. Hazard: Slope failure. Hazard: Possible falling tree in high winds. Managing hazard: A constructed river channel. Managing hazard: A constructed river channel. Managing hazard: An engineered seawall. Archipelagos of an archipelago. The material on the Island Vulnerability website is provided as only an information source. Neither definitive advice nor recommendations are implied. Each person or organisation accessing the website is responsible for making their own assessment of the topics discussed and are strongly advised to verify all information. No liability will be accepted for loss or damage incurred as a result of using the material on this website. The appearance of external links on this website does not constitute endorsement of the organisations, information, products, or services contained on that external website. |