An earthquake of magnitude 5 shakes Granada: "Objects falling from shelves woke us up"

BarcelonaAn earthquake of magnitude 5 in Alhendín has caused material damage in various parts of the province of Granada this past dawn. The Junta de Andalusia has activated the emergency phase of its seismic risk emergency plan. The tremor has caused some material damage, mainly due to falling roof elements and cracks inside buildings. The monumental complex of the Alhambra of Granada has not suffered damage and has opened to the public normally.

The tremor occurred at 01:04 on Saturday, at a depth of ten kilometers. Although the epicenter was located in Granada, the shaking was felt in numerous parts of Andalusia, such as Malaga, Cordoba, Cadiz, and Seville. The earthquake occurred relatively close to the Earth's surface, which increases its perception, in an area of high seismic activity, accustomed to these tremors.

The National Geographic Institute has registered about forty tremors following the initial earthquake in Alhendín, which caused material damage but no injuries. Neither Civil Protection nor the emergency services have reported any personal injuries, although the continuity and number of tremors have caused alarm among the population. Especially in Granada and its metropolitan area, many residents have left their homes and gathered in parks and other open spaces. Armilla has been, along with Alhendín, one of the most affected municipalities.

However, in Alhendín, the scare was experienced even more closely. Jesús García, a resident of the municipality, explained to ARA that his family was already asleep when they were "woken up by the noise of objects falling from the shelves." García explained that "small earthquakes" are nothing new in the area, and recalls that in 2021 there was already a series of similar tremors. Nevertheless, seeing that this time the shaking lasted longer than usual and was stronger, he opted to protect himself: "I placed myself under a column".

Also in the Altas Mira urbanization, resident Julia Palmira Saiz-Pardo recounted similar episodes: "I was sleeping and the earthquake woke me up, and we all went outside. In the urbanization there have been more cracks and material damage." According to her, the residents stayed until four in the morning at the pool located in the center of the urbanization, due to the succession of aftershocks, "even though they were less intense." Now, she adds, they are already looking into how to repair the damage.

In this regard, the Junta de Andalucía, in coordination with the Diputación de Granada and the town councils of the affected municipalities, are reviewing buildings that show damage, to rule out that structural problems have been generated. All this on a day, this Saturday, marked by heavy storms in the area.