On the first of November 1755 an earthquake measuring nine on the Richter scale caused the collapse of numerous buildings, including twenty churches. The first tremors were followed by fires. Many of the surviving inhabitants of Lisbon fled to the open area near the Tagus river, but an hour after the first tremor, they were engulfed by twenty meter (66ft) high waves. One of the churches that collapsed during the devastating earthquake was the Carmo church, which at the time was filled with All Saints Day worshippers. The roof of the building collapsed on top of the worshippers and only the walls and arches kept standing.Plans to reconstruct the Carmo church fell through due to budgetary problems, and the church was left in ruin to serve as a reminder of the earthquake of 1755. While little of the interior survived - even the tomb of Nuno Álvares Pereira was lost in the earthquake - the church still has an elegant appearance. It is one of Lisbon's main landmarks and can be seen from afar thanks to its prominent position on a bluff overlooking the Baixa district.