Earthquake of Magnitude 4.8 Strikes Granada, Three Injured
The epicenter was located about ten kilometers south of the historic city, and authorities have closed public buildings and urged residents to be cautious of possible aftershocks.
The epicenter was located about ten kilometers south of the historic city, and authorities have closed public buildings and urged residents to be cautious of possible aftershocks.
An earthquake of magnitude 4.8 struck the Spanish city of Granada on Tuesday morning, leaving three people with minor injuries and one girl hospitalized. According to data from Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN), the quake occurred at 10:37 local time, with its epicenter near the town of Alhendín, about 10 kilometers south of Granada, at a depth of less than 10 kilometers.
Emergency services received more than 500 calls from residents reporting cracks, falling debris, and other earthquake-related incidents. There were also 12 requests for medical assistance, mostly due to anxiety attacks. Debris from damaged buildings fell onto streets and damaged parked vehicles.
Witnesses described terrifying moments. "Everything collapsed. It was terrifying," said Cristina Ruiz Lopez, a laboratory worker who was in a supermarket at the time of the quake, as reported by AFP. Alfonso Malpica, a resident of Granada, told the Spanish newspaper El País that the earthquake was "stronger than those that happen from time to time, the ones we are used to."
City authorities ordered the closure of all municipal buildings, except those providing emergency and essential services. The famous Alhambra palace, a UNESCO World Heritage site of medieval Islamic architecture visited by millions of tourists annually, was also closed. The palace's management stated that it would "assess the situation" following the earthquake.
The city's metro network reduced train speeds to 30 km/h for safety reasons, warning that this could cause delays. The mayor of Granada urged residents to stay at home and, "especially, in the event of another tremor, avoid going outside and standing near buildings."
IGN reported that this tremor was not an isolated event but the latest in a series of very shallow earthquakes that began in the area last Friday. French media outlet France Info noted that Granada was also hit on Saturday by a slightly stronger earthquake.
The president of the regional government of Andalusia warned on social media platform X that "experts point out that it is possible that seismic movements and aftershocks may continue in the region," and called for "maximum caution."
