Magnitude-4.7 Earthquake Shakes Granada

Access by tourists to certain parts of the medieval Alhambra complex was restricted on Tuesday following three more earthquakes in the province of Granada in southern Spain. The tremors damaged several buildings, and authorities closed some museums, administrative buildings and sports facilities.

At least three people suffered minor injuries, and one of the injured, a minor, was taken to hospital, Andalusian official Antonio Sanz said. All three earthquakes had a magnitude greater than 4.

The strongest had a magnitude of 4.7 and struck the area at 10:37 a.m. The epicenter of the shallow earthquake was located near the town of Gójar, approximately 10km south of Granada. Shortly thereafter, weaker tremors were felt in two nearby towns on the southern outskirts of Granada.

Some buildings, mostly residential, sustained large cracks, parts of facades came loose and bricks fell onto the sidewalks. Local media also reported the evacuation of several hotels.

Tuesday’s tremors followed Saturday’s magnitude-5 earthquake in Granada, which damaged homes and cars and led to the temporary closure of the Alhambra. As a precaution, the Granada metro reduced train speeds to 30km/h.

(Reuters, bak)