An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 struck the southern Spanish city of Granada in the early hours of Saturday morning, causing cracks in roads and damaging buildings. The tremor hit just after 1 a.m. local time, with its epicenter near the village of Otura, south of Granada, at a depth of 2 kilometers (1.2 miles).
The earthquake was felt across the provinces of Granada and Malaga, leading to hundreds of calls to emergency services from areas including Seville, Cordoba, and coastal resorts. Andalusian emergency services reported rescuing people trapped in damaged buildings. While no injuries have been officially reported, authorities declared an emergency and urged residents to remain calm and avoid unnecessary movement in and out of buildings, as well as to stay clear of potentially unstable facades and walls.
Footage and eyewitness accounts described homes rattling, furniture shaking, and cars buried under debris that fell from buildings. Local emergency services stated that cracks had appeared in walls, and some structures had partially or fully collapsed. Residents reported being woken by the strong tremors.
This event follows a smaller, 3.7 magnitude earthquake that hit the Granada region in July. While minor earthquakes are not uncommon in the area, a magnitude of 5.2 is significant for the region.
Granada is a major tourist destination, known for its historic Alhambra palace. The earthquake's impact on tourism infrastructure and historical sites is yet to be fully assessed.