Spain's cherished tourist hotspot of Granada was in shock on Saturday (August 15, 2026) after a rare 5.0-magnitude earthquake woke residents in the middle of the night and damaged buildings.
But officials confirmed no casualties or serious damage, notably to the southern city's Alhambra palace, a UNESCO-listed jewel of medieval Islamic architecture and the seat of Spain's last Muslim kingdom.
Indonesia earthquake kills at least 38, topples buildings; tsunami warning lifted The tremor took place shortly after 1:00 a.m. (2300 GMT Friday) with its epicentre in the town of Alhendin, 10 kilometres (six miles) south of Granada, according to the National Geographical Institute.
"Cracks have appeared, elements such as ledges, rubble and walls have fallen and damage has been reported in some buildings," Andalusian emergency services said in a statement.
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"There is no serious structural damage, no serious material damage and there are no casualties," said Mr.
Sanz, who specified that "the Alhambra had not been affected in any way".
But "we must stay on our guard" as buildings were being inspected and aftershocks were possible, Mr.
Sanz added, noting that the last earthquake of this magnitude in Andalusia hit in 1955.
Images shared by Spanish media showed rubble strewn on the streets of Granada and cars with their windows smashed.
"We really felt the shaking, it was so strong that it woke us up," Marta Mayorga Fernandez told public broadcaster RTVE from the town of Huetor Vega, just outside Granada.
Two moderate-intensity earthquakes hit Ladakh within four hours "We were here at home panicking a little, in our bodies, my arms were still shaking," she said.
Mr.
Sanz said a telephone line had been set up to "allow us to immediately deal with these anxiety crises, this nervousness among the public".
