GRANADA, Spain – A magnitude 5 earthquake with its epicentre in the town of Alhendín shook Granada and its metropolitan area during the early hours of Saturday, with tremors felt widely across Andalusia and beyond. No casualties have been reported.
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The earthquake struck at 1:04 AM, according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), with a depth initially recorded at two kilometres and later revised to ten kilometres. The tremor was notably felt in Málaga, Jaén, and Córdoba, and was also perceived in Murcia, Castilla-La Mancha, the Community of Madrid, and Extremadura. The IGN reported that the quake was felt in more than 200 municipalities across five autonomous communities, though with varying intensity.
The main quake occurred seven hours after an initial tremor of magnitude 3.7 and intensity IV, centred in the town of La Zubia. Since then, the IGN has recorded numerous aftershocks of varying magnitudes concentrated in the metropolitan area of Granada, including Ogíjares, La Zubia, Otura, Gójar, Churriana de la Vega, Armilla, and Alhendín, with magnitudes ranging between 1.6 and 2.6.
The seismic activity prompted more than 200 calls to emergency services, with reports of material damage but no injuries. Some residents reported cracks in buildings, fallen cornices, debris, and wall collapses. Social media was flooded with videos, particularly from Granada, showing rubble in the streets, while others shared their experiences from across Andalusia.
The regional government of Andalusia activated the Emergency Plan for Seismic Risk, placing it in operational phase 1. President Juanma Moreno acknowledged the “night of shock and unease in Granada,” confirming material damage and extending his message of calm to residents, cautioning about potentially hazardous damaged facades and cornices.
The series of tremors has drawn comparisons to the seismic swarm that affected the Vega de Granada in January 2021, when the regional government activated a pre-emergency phase that lasted three months and managed over 1,600 earthquake-related alerts.
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Authorities have not reported any injuries, and no fatalities have been confirmed. The IGN continues to monitor the situation as aftershocks persist, with officials emphasising the importance of caution and preparedness in the affected areas. Emergency services remain on standby to address any further developments or reports of damage. The earthquake has served as a reminder of the region’s seismic vulnerability, prompting renewed attention to building safety and emergency response protocols. Further updates are expected as assessments of the damage continue.
