A 4.1 magnitude earthquake has rattled a popular vacation spot in Spain frequented by British tourists.
The tremor, which occurred in Murcia today, prompted a surge in emergency calls. The event was officially recorded by the National Geographic Institute (IGN) at 11:59 am and lasted for several seconds.
This seismic activity follows a recent 4.7 magnitude earthquake that hit Naples, Italy, causing damage to structures, vehicles, and injuring approximately 20 individuals.
Reports indicate that today’s earthquake in Spain was felt in neighboring areas such as Alicante, a favored holiday destination for British travelers, along with nearby Benidorm and Albacete.
The epicenter of the quake was located in the town of Librilla at a depth of approximately 3 miles, with Murcia situated about 18 miles away.
According to the 112 Emergency Coordination Centre for the Region of Murcia, over 80 calls were received following the earthquake, but there have been no reports of casualties or property damage so far.
The IGN of Spain revealed that there have been seven tremors in recent days leading up to this earthquake, with a total of 21 seismic events in the past month. This recent earthquake is the most powerful in the last six months, surpassing the one on June 3 with a magnitude of 2.3.
In 2011, Spain experienced a devastating earthquake in Lorca, resulting in 10 fatalities. The 5.2 magnitude tremor forced hundreds of residents to evacuate as buildings collapsed in the town, located southwest of Alicante.
Southern regions of Spain, particularly Andalusia and Murcia, are at a higher risk of earthquakes due to their location on the northern edge of the collision zone between the Eurasian and Nubian plates, converging at a rate of approximately 4–5 mm/year.
This convergence, responsible for the formation of the Atlas Mountains and the Alps in the past, is currently manifesting in southern Spain through the fault systems of the Betic Cordillera mountain range, spanning from the Gibraltar Arc to the Mediterranean coast through Malaga, Granada, Almeria, and Murcia.
