Magnitude 4.8 Earthquake Rocks Southern Spain, Damaging Buildings and Triggering Panic in Granada

MADRID — A shallow magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck southern Spain, rattling the historic tourist hub of Granada, sending masonry tumbling onto streets, and leaving at least three people with minor injuries.

According to Spain's National Geographical Institute (IGN), the tremor hit at approximately 10:38 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located in the town of Alhendín, about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Granada. Because of its shallow depth, the violent shaking was felt widely across the Andalusia region, prompting panicked residents and workers to flee into open plazas and streets.

Key Impacts:

 

* Structural Damage & Injuries: Emergency services received hundreds of calls reporting cracked walls, fallen debris, and damaged vehicles. Three individuals sustained minor injuries—primarily from falling debris or during evacuations—including a young girl who was transported to a local hospital.

 * Heritage Site Precautions: Out of an abundance of caution, authorities temporarily restricted access and closed sections of Granada's world-famous Alhambra palace complex—a UNESCO World Heritage site—while structural engineers conducted rapid safety assessments.

 * Heightened Seismic Swarm: The tremor follows an earlier magnitude 5.0 earthquake that shook the region days prior, intensifying anxiety among locals as a series of smaller aftershocks continue to test the area's fault lines.

Regional officials have urged the public to remain calm and exercise caution, warning that intermittent aftershocks could persist over the coming days. Civil protection teams remain on high alert, continuously inspecting infrastructure and heritage structures across the province.