RESIDENTS have recalled moments of terror after a powerful earthquake shook Granada on Tuesday.
The 4.8-magnitude tremor struck at 10.37am, injuring three people and sending hundreds of terrified residents spilling into the streets.
Striking images taken by The Olive Press show crushed cars and debris-strewn pavements after the roof of an apartment block partially collapsed in the southern neighbourhood of Zaidin.
Emergency services have cordoned off damaged buildings across the city and closed public offices for the rest of the day, including the city’s landmark Alhambra.
READ MORE: WATCH: Granada earthquake leaves three injured and forces evacuation of iconic Alhambra palace
It was the second significant jolt to rock Granada since Saturday, with locals describing mounting fears over possible new shocks in the coming days.
Schoolteacher Ana S.L., 52, a resident of the damaged building in Zaidin, told The Olive Press: “I was hanging my clothes out to dry when suddenly the rack started shaking.
“Then I heard this huge rumble from outside – and later realised it was bricks from our roof raining down onto the pavement below.
“I couldn’t believe my own eyes. It felt like a cruel joke to me – I’d just got off the phone with a friend who asked me if I was alright after Saturday’s earthquake.”
She added: “The worst part was not the quake itself. It’s the fear now that a stronger one could hit in the middle of the night.”
The owner of a nearby café said he was wiping down the bar when he suddenly heard glass clinking and windows rattling.
“I just froze with this wet rag in my hand. When the shaking stopped, I saw I’d squeezed it so hard that water was dripping onto the floor,” he said.
“Of course it’s scary,” he added. “The most important thing, though, is that no one got hurt. If things break, you can always buy them again.”
READ MORE: Granada rocked by second earthquake in three days as 4.6-magnitude tremor felt across Andalucia
According to Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN), the earthquake had its epicentre in Alhendin, just south of the city, at a depth of just five kilometres.
The tremor was felt strongly across Granada’s metropolitan area, particularly in the southern suburbs, with reports of shaking as far afield as Cordoba, Murcia and the Costa del Sol.
Two significant aftershocks followed within the hour, with a 4.0-magnitude tremor centred on Churriana de la Vega at 10.53am, followed by a 4.2 shock in Alhendin at 11.34am.
Five more followed in the hours afterwards, with the last one felt shortly after 1pm.
Emergency services received more than 50 calls reporting cracks and falling debris across the region, with fire crews mobilised to inspect affected buildings. Granada’s metro system also imposed strict speed limits of 30km/h as a safety precaution.
Tuesday’s earthquake comes just days after another 4.8-magnitude tremor struck in the early hours of Saturday, also centred on Alhendin, prompting Andalucia’s regional government to activate its seismic emergency plan.
No injuries were reported on that occasion, although falling debris damaged vehicles and buildings, while several people had to be rescued from broken lifts.
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