A 4.6-magnitude earthquake struck Granada, Spain, just days after a larger quake partially collapsed buildings in the same area, injuring at least three people and forcing evacuations of hotels, government offices, and parts of the historic Alhambra.
The tremor's epicenter hit Gojar, a small town roughly five miles south of Granada's city center, sending residents and tourists into the streets and triggering more than 50 emergency calls reporting rockfalls and cracks across the region. Two aftershocks followed quickly, a 4.0-magnitude jolt near Churriana de la Vega and a 4.2-magnitude shake near Alhendin, both towns in Granada's southern outskirts.
Officials confirmed that three people were hurt, though injuries were described as not serious. One of the injured, a young girl, was taken to a hospital. Staff at the four-star Barcelona Carmen Granada hotel were seen standing in the street moments after the initial quake, having evacuated the building. Police cordoned off Calle Navas, one of Granada's most popular tourist streets, with tape after falling debris made the area unsafe. Bars along the strip were forced to shut.
Parts of the Alhambra, the medieval palace and fortress complex that draws millions of visitors each year, were evacuated. Council buildings open to the public were also cleared. The Iglesia del Sagrario Church, which sits attached to Granada's cathedral, shut its doors until the end of the day, along with several other sites across the city.
A spokesman for the Junta de Andalucia emergency response center, the regional government body coordinating the response, told reporters:
"More than half a hundred calls have been received reporting rockfalls and cracks, with no reports of personal injuries so far."
That statement appeared to precede the official confirmation of three injuries. The source did not clarify the timing gap between the spokesman's remark and the later injury count.
The emergency center also posted safety guidance on social media, urging residents to stay put if their homes were undamaged:
"If you felt the earthquake, you are safe and your home has no damage, stay calm and avoid entering and leaving buildings unnecessarily. Do not use the lift."
Juanma Moreno, the president of Andalucia, the southern Spanish region that includes Granada, posted a warning on X urging caution. Moreno wrote that the earthquake had struck "once again" and called for "maximum caution," adding that experts expected more seismic activity in the area.
"Experts point out that seismic movements and aftershocks may continue in the area, and it is important to know how we should act in these situations. Let's follow the advice and remain calm, please."
Moreno's tone reflected a region that has now absorbed repeated seismic hits in quick succession, and an official class trying to keep public anxiety in check while acknowledging the threat is not over.
The latest tremor came just days after a prior earthquake, reported at approximately 5.2 magnitude in some references and 5.0 in others, partially collapsed buildings in Granada and sent tourists and locals fleeing into the streets. That earlier event struck around 1 a.m. local time, catching many people asleep. Footage from the aftermath showed residents rushing out of hotels with suitcases and rubble scattered across roads.
Twelve additional tremors followed the initial quake. Shaking was felt across Andalusia and as far away as Madrid, with residents in Malaga, Sevilla, Cordoba, Jaen, and Almeria all reporting the event. A state of emergency was declared in Granada in the wake of that larger quake.
An emergency responder, captured on footage surveying rubble in the street, was overheard saying: "It looks as if no-one was passing by at the time. Just as well."
Granada is one of Spain's most visited cities, drawing travelers to the Alhambra, the old Moorish quarter, and a lively restaurant and bar scene concentrated along streets like Calle Navas. The back-to-back earthquakes have disrupted that economy directly, shutting hotels, clearing landmarks, and closing the very streets that make the city a destination.
Several questions remain unanswered. The full extent of structural damage from the latest quake has not been assessed publicly. The identities and conditions of the two other injured individuals beyond the young girl have not been released. Which specific parts of the Alhambra were evacuated, and when the complex might fully reopen, remain unclear.
What is clear is that Granada sits in an active seismic zone, and its own regional president is telling people to brace for more. Tourists planning trips to southern Spain would do well to listen.
