Asked to name the most significant years in modern European history, most people would include 1789, 1848, 1917 and 1939. On November 1 of that year, the greatest natural catastrophe recorded in Europe took place: an earthquake and tsunami that devastated western and southern Portugal, and all but destroyed the country’s capital. The Lisbon earthquake had an eloquent English witness whose account has only now been uncovered. Sister Catherine “Kitty” Witham was living with the Bridgettine religious order. She was washing up when the tremors struck, and wrote to her aunt about her providential escape.

Source: The Times March 12, 2019 00:00 UTC