Earthquakes hit Granada, Spain, again and generate alert

Earthquakes once again affected the city of Granada, in southern Spain, in the early hours of Tuesday (18). According to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), at least four earthquakes with magnitudes between 3.9 and 4.8 on the Richter scale have been felt in the last few hours.

According to the institute, since last Friday (14), 432 earthquakes have been recorded in the region that extends between 2 and 12 kilometers south of the city of Granada.

Most incidents are considered mild and some are not even felt. Others, however, like last Saturday's, caused damage and scared the population and tourists visiting the region – an important Spanish tourist destination.

“The largest earthquakes recorded to date, measuring 4.8 degrees, occurred on August 14, at 11:04 pm (local time, 6:04 pm in Brasília), and at 8:37 am (3:37 am in Brazil), with the epicenter in the towns of Alhendín, superficial depth, but widely felt,” reported IGN, in a note released this morning.

According to the institute, the two most intense earthquakes in the series were felt in more than 500 locations, mainly in parts of Andalusia; in Murcia; in the south of Castile – La Mancha and also in some parts of Madrid.

“The damage and effects produced by these tremors continue to be reviewed by the Seismic Network staff and the information will continue to be updated as it emerges,” added the institute.

So far, the Junta de Andalucía confirms that at least three people have been injured due to the consequences of Tuesday's tremors. According to the first vice-president of the Regional government of Andalusia, Antonio Sanz, the three recent victims suffered minor injuries and received immediate care.

As for the mayor of Granada, Marifrán Carazo, the local police received, in the last few hours, 229 requests for help or alerts, while the firefighters responded to 168 incidents related to the earthquakes. The city hall declared an emergency. Public offices that do not provide essential emergency services and care to people will remain closed indefinitely, including museums and sports facilities.

Marifrán Carazo asked citizens to remain calm, but report any abnormalities to the authorities, such as possible cracks in buildings or signs of ground movement. The mayor recalled that aftershocks are unpredictable and recommended attention.