Granada province experienced six earthquakes in the early hours of Wednesday, with five tremors strong enough to be felt across multiple municipalities. Recorded by Spain’s Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN), the seismic activity prompted building inspections and evacuations as authorities assessed possible effects on homes and infrastructure.
Residents in the Vega de Granada and along the coast reported feeling the quakes. The first two tremors, measuring magnitude 1.7 and 1.8, struck La Zubia and Las Gabias shortly after midnight. Four more followed in Otura, Alhendín, Ogíjares and Gójar, with magnitudes ranging from 1.6 to 2.5. Gójar had already been the epicentre of a impressive earthquake the previous day.
Local authorities began systematic inspections to assess the safety of affected buildings. In Las Gabias, 600 residents were evacuated and were still waiting to learn when they could return. Three people sustained minor injuries during Tuesday’s stronger quake, including a child who required hospital care. Health centres and hospitals in the area temporarily paused operations for safety checks, but have since resumed normal service.
The overnight activity came amid a seismic sequence that began on 14 and 15 August 2026 and continued through October, concentrated in Granada’s metropolitan belt, including Alhendín, Gójar, Las Gabias, Armilla and Cájar. The major shocks on 15 and 18 August were reported at magnitude 4.8, near Alhendín and Gójar respectively. By 17 October, 7,435 earthquakes had been recorded in the sequence. Most were small, and only a fraction were perceptible.
Since 14 August, more than 150 tremors had been registered in Granada province, affecting at least twenty municipalities. Emergency protocols remained in place, with the Junta de Andalucía maintaining the pre-emergency phase of its earthquake response plan after a magnitude 5 quake was recorded in Alhendín the previous Saturday.
The sequence continued to produce felt tremors into October. On 18 October, the IGN recorded a magnitude 2.8 earthquake near Cájar at 08:41, at a reported depth of zero kilometres. A magnitude 1.9 event near Vegas del Genil had occurred three minutes earlier at a depth of three kilometres. The magnitude 2.8 shock was assigned intensity III across 14 municipalities, including Granada, Armilla, Las Gabias, Gójar and La Zubia.
Damage and displacement continued beyond the immediate aftermath of the August shocks. By October, 23 buildings in Granada had been fully or partly vacated, affecting 91 homes. In Las Gabias, residents returned in stages to 371 affected homes after repairs and municipal works. Access to some garages and stairwells remained restricted pending permanent work. Resident Rafael de la Torre described the continuing anxiety: “We have our bags packed in case we have to run out.” The municipality estimated earthquake-related damage to public spaces at €1.8 million.
The Consorcio de Compensación de Seguros, Spain’s public insurance-compensation institution, was reported to have assessed losses from the wider sequence at €209 million two months after it began. On 25 September, a €220,000 modification to Granada’s provincial budget was approved for housing needs. It included assistance of up to €700 a month for a maximum of five months for displaced families without other coverage. Andalucía’s authorities also announced a large earthquake exercise in Granada to test emergency coordination.
The repeated tremors caused anxiety among residents, prompting many to leave their homes overnight and head toward the coast. The movement caused congestion on routes out of Granada, particularly the motorway toward Motril and roads near coastal towns such as Salobreña and Almuñécar. A recent earthquake in Alhendín also caused widespread concern and was covered in detail in reports on earlier seismic events in Granada.
Granada lies in a seismically active part of southern Spain, where the African and Eurasian plates converge. Most earthquakes are minor, but stronger tremors can damage buildings and disrupt daily life. Local authorities update emergency plans and conduct preparedness exercises, while residents are advised to follow official guidance during periods of increased seismic activity.
