A magnitude-4.8 earthquake shook Granada in southern Spain on Tuesday morning, rattling buildings, sending debris onto streets and leaving three people with minor injuries, authorities said.
The tremor struck at around 10:38 am local time, with the epicentre near Alhendín, about 10 kilometres south of Granada, according to Spain’s National Geographical Institute. The earthquake was strong enough to cause fresh damage in parts of the city, which is a major tourist destination.
Three injured as buildings shake
Three people suffered minor injuries in the quake, including a girl who was taken to hospital for treatment, Antonio Sanz, Andalusia’s senior emergency services official, said.
Emergency responders received more than 50 reports of cracked walls and falling debris following the earthquake. Images and videos shared online showed rubble scattered across streets, while some vehicles appeared to have been damaged by falling material.
For residents caught off guard by the sudden shaking, the experience was frightening.
“Everything came crashing down. It was terrifying,” Cristina Ruiz Lopez, a laboratory worker who was inside a supermarket when the earthquake struck, said in a post on X.
Granada hit by second strong quake in days
Tuesday’s earthquake came just days after another tremor rattled Granada in the early hours of Saturday.
That earthquake, which measured magnitude 5.0, struck shortly after 1 am. No injuries were reported, although some buildings sustained damage.
The timing of the latest earthquake has heightened concerns among residents and authorities about continued seismic activity in the region.
Andalusia’s regional president Juan Manuel Moreno urged people to remain particularly cautious, warning that further seismic movements and aftershocks could occur.
“Experts point out that it is possible for seismic movements and aftershocks to continue in the area,” Moreno wrote on X.
Why Granada is vulnerable to earthquakes
Granada sits in a seismically active part of southern Spain, where earthquakes are not unusual. The latest tremors have nevertheless drawn attention because of their strength and their close succession.
The city is also one of Spain’s most visited destinations, famed for the Alhambra, the UNESCO-listed palace complex that stands as a major monument to the region’s medieval Islamic history.
With authorities continuing to assess damage and monitor seismic activity, residents have been urged to stay alert as the possibility of further tremors remains.
