A powerful earthquake shook Granada at 1:04 a.m. on Saturday. Its epicenter was near Alhendín, at a reported depth of 10 kilometers, information from Spain’s Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN). The magnitude was measured at 4.8. Residents across much of Andalusia felt the tremor, and the regional 112 emergency service received more than 80 calls afterward.
Reports of falling debris, damaged façades and roof tiles came from several locations in the Granada metropolitan area, including Armilla. Calls came from nearly every Andalusian province except Huelva and Cádiz. The Junta de Andalucía activated operational emergency level 1 under its regional seismic-risk plan, according to an announcement by Antonio Sanz, the regional minister for the Presidency, Interior, Social Dialogue and Administrative Simplification. Residents were urged to stay calm and keep clear of façades, balconies and walls. They were also advised not to enter or leave buildings because of the risk of further collapse.
The IGN’s reports of felt shaking covered Granada and its suburbs, northern towns such as Huéscar, and coastal communities including Almuñécar, Salobreña and Motril. The shaking was also felt in Jaén, Almería, Málaga and Córdoba, as well as farther away in Puertollano, Ciudad Real, Albacete and Madrid, where it was less intense. At 1:10 a.m., six minutes after the basic quake, a magnitude-2.6 tremor was recorded near Gójar at a depth of one kilometer. Three smaller earthquakes had also been detected in the Granada area on Friday. Granada lies in a seismically active part of southern Spain, where shallow earthquakes can be felt across populated areas.
Spain’s response to natural disasters has been tested repeatedly in recent years, with authorities stressing preparedness and rapid communication. Severe weather has also prompted widespread alerts and disruption, as when intense storms and hail prompted orange alerts across northern and eastern Spain. The Granada earthquake again put regional and local emergency services at the center of a response involving residents, municipalities and the 112 call center.
The sequence underscores the need for preparedness in southern Spain, where tectonic activity makes earthquakes a recurring hazard. The IGN monitors seismic activity, while regional and municipal authorities coordinate emergency measures. Residents were advised to follow official guidance after the basic shock. Further tremors can occur, and damaged structures may remain hazardous.
