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Date Published: 26/08/2024

Powerful earthquake in Portugal sets parts of Andalucía trembling

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The strong 5.5 magnitude quake was felt clearly by residents in Malaga, Huelva and Sevilla

Powerful earthquake in Portugal sets parts of Andalucía trembling

Andalucía and much of Spain were jolted awake early on Monday morning, August 26, by a powerful earthquake centred in southern Portugal. The 5.5-magnitude quake, which occurred at a depth of 19 kilometres in the Atlantic Ocean south of Lisbon, sent tremors across the country, leaving residents in multiple provinces wide-eyed and shaken.

According to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), the earthquake struck at 6.11am, with an aftershock of much lower intensity (1.8) occurring at 7.40am. While there's no danger of a tsunami, as that would require a magnitude greater than 7.0, the impact was certainly felt across the Iberian Peninsula.

In Andalucía, the earthquake's effects were most strongly felt in Huelva, the province closest to the Portuguese border. Towns like Jabugo, Cortegana, Aroche and Almonte experienced an intensity level of III on the Richter scale, with residents reporting a swaying or slight tremor and hanging objects swinging gently. Carrión de los Céspedes in Sevilla also reported similar sensations.

The quake's reach extended further, with Cadiz, the capital of Malaga, Jaén, Granada and several towns in Cordoba feeling the impact at a milder level of II. In these areas, the tremor was only noticeable to those in particularly receptive positions inside buildings, with no damage recorded.

But Andalucía wasn't alone in this seismic experience. Galicia, Extremadura, Castile and León, Asturias, Castile-La Mancha and even Madrid all had residents feeling the earth move beneath their feet.

In Galicia, the provinces of Orense, Pontevedra and A Coruña felt the quake, with intensity level III being recorded in several towns. Extremadura also felt the shake intensely, with La Zarza, Puebla de la Reina and Villafranca de los Barros among the areas experiencing level III tremors.

In Castile and León, the towns of Ponferrada and Aldeatejada de Salamanca registered a notable level III, while in neighbouring Castile-La Mancha, the capital of Ciudad Real and Puertollano experienced the milder level II tremors. Even Asturias got a taste of the action, with Gijón feeling the quake at level II.

And while no damage or injuries have been reported in Spain, this powerful earthquake certainly gave many people an unexpected early morning wake-up call.

In other news: easyJet announces new summer flights between UK and Spain

Image: IGN

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