In brief
An unexpected 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck southern Spain on Tuesday morning, causing buildings and vehicles to suffer damage and leaving three people lightly injured. The epicentre lay about 10 km south of Granada, and the shallow tremor pulled residents to the streets. Municipal buildings, museums, and the Alhambra palace were closed amid safety concerns, while the city’s metro slowed transit to 30 km/h. The Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN) reports that the quake is part of a series of shallow tremors continuing since last Friday.
At least three people were lightly injured and several buildings were damaged after a 4.8‑magnitude quake struck southern Spain on Tuesday morning.
According to the Spanish National Geographic Institute (IGN), the epicentre was located about 10 km (six miles) south of Granada, in the town of Alhendín, and the tremor had a depth of less than 10 km.
Local residents, alarmed by the severity of the shake, fled from their homes into the streets. The quake also caused a number of vehicles to be damaged by falling debris, and several municipal buildings, museums, and sports centres were forced to close.
The quake was the latest in a series of shallow tremors that began last Friday and were widely felt throughout the region.
Alfonso Malpica, a resident of Granada, described the quake as stronger than the ones that happen from time to time, the ones we're used to. He told El País that everything came crashing down. It was terrifying.
The Alhambra palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a major tourist attraction, announced that it would remain closed for the remainder of the day following the tremor.
The Granada metro network informed commuters that train speeds would be reduced to 30 km/h (19 mph) for safety reasons, warning that this might cause delays.
