Magnitude 5 earthquake hits Granada and is strongly felt across Malaga province

No injuries had been reported following the quake, although emergency crews were called to damaged buildings and rescued a number of people.

The earthquake occurred shortly after 1am on Saturday 15 August, with Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN) recording it at 1.04am. Its epicentre was close to Alhendín, in the Granada metropolitan area, at a shallow depth of around two kilometres. The tremor was classified as having an intensity of V.

Images broadcast by Spanish television showed rubble and other debris scattered across streets in Granada, with some parked vehicles also damaged.

The earthquake was strongly felt beyond Granada province, particularly in neighbouring Malaga, including Malaga city.

More than 80 calls were made to Andalucía’s 112 emergency service following the tremor, coming from every province in the region apart from Cadiz and Huelva.

The Andalusian regional government activated the emergency phase of its earthquake response plan at operational level 1 during the night as authorities assessed the damage.

Regional president Juanma Moreno urged residents to remain calm while warning of the continuing danger from structures that may have been weakened by the earthquake.

‘A night of shock and anxiety in Granada following a magnitude 5 earthquake that has caused some material damage and was felt in several provinces. Stay calm, take great care around any damaged cornices or façades that may still come loose, and please follow all the recommendations. We are keeping a very close eye on the situation,’ he said on X.

Antonio Sanz, vice-president of the Andalusian government and regional minister responsible for emergencies, urged people not to move unnecessarily in and out of buildings if their homes appeared undamaged.

Andalucía’s 112 emergency service issued similar advice, warning people outdoors to keep clear of façades, balconies, cornices, walls and other parts of buildings that could have been loosened by the tremor.

‘If you’re in Granada, you’ve felt the earthquake, you’re okay, and your home shows no damage, stay calm and avoid entering and exiting buildings unnecessarily,’ they said. ‘On the street, stay away from façades, cornices, balconies, walls, and other elements that could fall.’

Saturday morning’s earthquake followed another significant tremor in the Granada area only hours earlier.

At approximately 6.43pm on Friday, a magnitude 3.7 earthquake with an intensity of IV was recorded with its epicentre in La Zubia.

That earlier quake was widely noticed across Granada and prompted calls to the emergency services from Granada city and several municipalities in the surrounding metropolitan area, including La Zubia, Churriana de la Vega, Las Gabias, Ogíjares and Maracena.

The considerably stronger earthquake in the early hours of Saturday was felt across a much wider area, however, with residents in Malaga province among those reporting particularly noticeable shaking.