Southern Spain is an area known for having frequent earthquakes. Although they are not very aggressive earthquakes, they tend to be quite constant. Above all, the areas of Granada and Murcia are the most affected. The 5 most aggressive earthquakes in Spain They have left their mark on the inhabitants who suffered their consequences.
Therefore, in this article we are going to tell you which are the 5 most aggressive earthquakes in Spain and what consequences they had.
What is an earthquake?
An earthquake is a geological phenomenon that manifests itself as vibrations or sudden movements of the Earth, generally caused by the release of energy accumulated in the Earth's crust. This release of energy comes from tectonic activity, where the plates that make up the Earth's surface interact with each other.
The Earth's crust is divided into several plates that float on the Earth's mantle. These plates can move slowly, collide with each other, separate, or slide over each other. When the forces acting on these plates exceed the resistance of the rocks that compose them, A sudden release of energy occurs in the form of seismic waves.
These seismic waves propagate through the Earth, causing the phenomenon known as an earthquake. Earthquakes vary in magnitude and can have consequences ranging from barely noticeable movements to destructive events. The Richter scale is commonly used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake, while the Mercalli scale evaluates the effects observed on the Earth's surface.
5 earthquakes in Spain that have gone down in history
Granada, 1884
On December 25, 1884, the Spanish province of Granada experienced the Granada earthquake. Its epicenter was located in Arenas del Rey, within the Alhama de Granada region. This seismic event, which lasted about 10 seconds, registered a magnitude of 6,2 to 6,5 on the Richter scale. The hypocenter, located between 10 and 20 kilometers deep, caused between 1.050 and 1.200 deaths and approximately twice as many injuries.
At approximately 21:08, a seismic event of considerable magnitude occurred, covering an area spanning 120 x 70 km². This earthquake had a profound impact on numerous urban centers located in the provinces of Granada, Málaga and Almería, in total around a hundred. It is estimated that the duration of the tremors was approximately 20 seconds. The regions that suffered the greatest devastation, characterized by extensive structural collapses, loss of life and injuries, They were the southwestern part of the province of Granada and the eastern region of the province of Málaga.
Approximately 800 lives were lost and approximately 1.500 people were injured throughout this region. The devastating impact destroyed approximately 4.400 residences and caused damage to another 13.000 homes.
The town that experienced the greatest impact was Arenas del Rey, with 90% of its homes collapsing and the remaining structures suffering severe destruction. Sadly, 135 lives were lost and 253 people were injured. As a result, the city underwent a complete reconstruction, moving to its current position a significant distance from its former site.
The town that suffered the greatest loss of life was Alhama de Granada, with a staggering 463 dead and 473 injured. More than 70% of residential structures collapsed under the force of the disaster. As a result, a new community was built near the area known as Hoya del Egido.
The aftermath of the earthquake was aggravated by the appearance of landslides in the upper layers of the terrain, which added to the rockfall caused by the tremor. These landslides caused multiple cracks to form. Furthermore, the initial large tremor was followed by several subsequent tremors of varying degrees of intensity in the following days. As a result, People took to the streets, while those who stayed at home left their doors ajar, despite the intense cold.
Lugo, 1997
At 01.50:22 a.m. on May 1997, 5,1, an unprecedented seismic event occurred in Galicia that shook the ground. The epicenter of this earthquake, which registered a magnitude of 700 on the Richter scale, was located in Triacastela. This picturesque municipality, located in the province of Lugo and with less than XNUMX residents, serves as an important landmark along the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route. Interestingly, local residents have become accustomed to earthquakes in their area.
The Region of Murcia was shaken by two earthquakes, one of magnitude 5,2 on the Richter scale, considered one of the most important seismic events that occurred in Spain in this century. Fortunately, no casualties or significant material damage were reported, although two aftershocks were felt in the area.
Murcia, 1999
At 14.45:XNUMX p.m., the most powerful earthquake shook the entire region, even reaching the capital of Murcia, causing Neighbors will flood the streets en masse, experiencing anxiety and reluctance to return home for fear of possible aftershocks.
As a result of the earthquake, the residents of Mula and its district of Puebla de Mula, where the epicenter was located, quickly evacuated their homes and sought refuge in the streets.
To provide a safe haven for people who are hesitant to return to their residences, the Mula City Council established temporary shelters in several locations, including the school, kindergarten, sports hall and fire station. These areas experienced seismic activity that caused objects to move inside homes, cracks in older uninhabited homes, and debris falling from structures. The tremors also affected the Archena substation, causing a fifteen-minute power outage, while the Mula substation suffered a thirty-minute power outage.
Lorca, 2011
On May 11, 2011, a seismic event known as the Lorca earthquake occurred in the Region of Murcia, Spain. This earthquake, of magnitude 5,1 on the Moment Magnitude scale, It had a Mercalli VII intensity in the epicentral area and mainly affected the town of Lorca. It occurred at 18:47 and had its epicenter in the Alhama de Murcia Fault. The impact of the earthquake was felt throughout the Region of Murcia. Earlier in the day, at 5:05 pm local time, a magnitude 4,5 tremor had occurred. Seismic activity was also notable in other provinces such as Almería, Albacete, Granada, Jaén, Málaga, Alicante, Ciudad Real and certain neighborhoods of Madrid where the composition of the soil amplifies ground movements.
After the primary aftershock at 18:47 p.m., several subsequent tremors occurred, the most significant being at 22:37 p.m. local time, registering a magnitude of 3,9 on the moment magnitude scale and being perceptible by those who were in the area.
Granada, 2021
In Santa Fe (Granada), on January 23, 2021, a seismic event occurred that caused the earth to shake like it had not done since 1984. Surprising the locals, A 4,4 earthquake was felt with unprecedented intensity in the capital of Granada and its surrounding metropolitan area. The province of Granada, known for its high seismic activity in the Iberian Peninsula, experienced more than a thousand aftershocks in the following days.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the 5 most aggressive earthquakes in Spain and their characteristics.