Granada’s metropolitan area endured a tense night after a 4.8-magnitude earthquake struck on Tuesday morning, prompting hundreds of residents to leave their homes and seek safety in parks, gardens and other open spaces. It was the second magnitude 4.8 earthquake in the area in three days: the first struck near Alhendín on 15 August, while Tuesday’s event was located in the Gójar area. Both were part of a wider seismic sequence that continued through October. More than 50 aftershocks were recorded during the day, and many residents remained unwilling to return indoors amid continuing uncertainty.
In Armilla, one of the hardest-hit municipalities, families set up makeshift camps in Virgilio Castilla Carmona park. Improvised shelters, beach chairs and scattered belongings filled the area as people tried to rest under the trees. Many described a night of little sleep and constant tension. Every noise raised fears of another quake. The local council opened public spaces, including sports fields and parks, to accommodate people seeking refuge. The sequence affected Granada city and communities across the metropolitan area, including Alhendín, Armilla, Gójar, Las Gabias, Ogíjares, Churriana de la Vega and La Zubia.
Authorities evacuated around 600 residents from 371 homes in Las Gabias after detecting structural damage. They also moved 71 dependent residents from the Reina Sofía Psychopedagogical Center because of visible cracks. Inspections continued in other towns, including Gójar, Ogíjares, Alhendín and La Zubia, where teams checked public and private buildings for safety. In the capital, Tico Medina park also became a temporary shelter for people reluctant to risk staying indoors. Technical inspections determined whether buildings could be safely occupied, rather than prompting a blanket evacuation across Granada.
By Wednesday, daily routines had begun to resume, but anxiety lingered. The Alhambra reopened with modified routes to allow for rapid evacuation if needed. Shopping centers previously cleared by the Guardia Civil, including Nevada Shopping and Serrallo, also welcomed back customers. Across the region, conversations turned to personal experiences of the quake, with many recounting where they were and how they reacted when the tremors hit.
Residents such as Indira Almuedo, who lives in a second-floor apartment now marked by cracks, chose to stay outdoors with her family, feeling safer away from potential falling debris. Others, including Mónica Sánchez, left their homes after noticing new structural damage and chose to wait for further inspections before returning. Neighbors supported one another and shared resources in the parks, building a sense of community.
The Junta de Andalucía reconvened its Emergency Earthquake Risk Committee to monitor the situation and coordinate scientific and operational responses. The regional government said it had handled more than 5,000 emergency calls and nearly 2,300 earthquake-related incidents since Saturday. Volunteer architects, firefighters, police and municipal experts classified buildings using a color-coded system: green for safe, yellow for minor damage and red for buildings requiring urgent attention. At that point, four buildings had been marked red. By early September, more than 1,500 earthquakes had reportedly been recorded in the sequence. It also produced aftershocks of up to magnitude 4.2 and at least three minor injuries. Some tremors were felt beyond Granada, including in parts of Murcia, Madrid and Extremadura.
Granada’s recent seismic activity has kept residents on edge. More than 400 aftershocks were recorded in the four days covered by the initial response, most too weak to be felt. The sequence continued to produce felt earthquakes in October: on 18 October, the Instituto Geográfico Nacional recorded a magnitude 1.9 event northeast of Vegas del Genil at 08:38. Three minutes later, at 08:41, it recorded a magnitude 2.8 earthquake west of Cájar. The latter was recorded at a depth of zero kilometres and reached intensity III in several metropolitan municipalities, including Armilla, Las Gabias, Gójar, Ogíjares and Granada. As recent coverage of previous overnight earthquakes in Granada noted, authorities continued to prioritize building inspections and public safety as the situation evolved.
The impact extended beyond immediate evacuations. By 20 October, figures attributed to the Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros showed that 70,150 compensation applications had been submitted and 14,393 paid, or 20.5% of the total. Payments amounted to €52,099,124. Residential properties and homeowners’ associations accounted for 93.4% of applications. Granada city recorded 36,320 claims, followed by Armilla with 5,650, Ogíjares with 3,768, Churriana de la Vega with 3,684, Las Gabias with 2,892 and La Zubia with 2,570. Later reporting said the final 42 residents evacuated from the 371 affected homes in Las Gabias had returned after inspections and remedial work. The municipality estimated damage to public spaces at €1.8 million.
Earthquakes are common in southern Spain, particularly in the Granada basin, where tectonic activity reflects the complex interaction between the Eurasian and African plates. Most tremors are minor, but stronger quakes can cause impressive disruption, as this sequence showed. In October, the Junta de Andalucía announced a major earthquake simulation in Granada to rehearse evacuations and emergency response, and test coordination among public authorities and technical services. The exercise extended the response beyond immediate inspections and evacuations, as officials sought to strengthen preparedness for future seismic emergencies.
