A popular Spanish holiday destination has been shaken by a second powerful earthquake in less than 48 hours, injuring residents, damaging buildings and forcing tourists to flee hotels as emergency crews responded to dozens of reports of falling debris.
A magnitude 4.8 tremor struck about 20km south-west of Granada at 10.38am local time, after a separate 5.0-magnitude earthquake jolted the region during the early hours of Sunday. The latest quake was strong enough to damage vehicles and buildings across the metropolitan area, with emergency services receiving more than 50 calls reporting cracks and falling masonry.
Three people were injured, according to Andalusian emergency authorities, including a girl who was taken to hospital. Images from the area showed rubble scattered across roads and damaged vehicles, underscoring the disruption in one of southern Spain’s most heavily visited regions.
Daños en la Iglesia de San Pedro, Albaicín Granada ⚠️
Vídeo reenviado por WhatsApp pic.twitter.com/i6JBSmvgHU
— 𝕄𝖊𝖙𝖊𝖔𝔸𝖑𝖍𝖆𝖒𝖇𝖗𝖆⚠️ (@MeteoAlhambra) August 18, 2026
The repeated tremors have heightened concerns over further seismic activity. Juanma Moreno, president of Andalusia, warned residents that aftershocks could continue and urged them to follow official advice.
The latest earthquake was felt well beyond Granada, with tremors reported in Málaga, Seville, Córdoba, Jaén and Almería and as far away as Madrid.
The weekend earthquake had already prompted Spanish authorities to declare an emergency situation after homes and vehicles were damaged. Tourists were reportedly evacuated from accommodation as frightened visitors emerged into the streets, some carrying luggage.
Authorities have urged people to remain outside damaged buildings and avoid areas beneath balconies, façades, walls and other structures that could collapse.
‼️Tres #terremotos sacuden #Granada en una hora. Las magnitudes: 4,8 , 4,0 y 4,2.
🏥 A las 12:15h se reportan tres heridos. Ha habido otras tres treplicas más en estás últimas horas (entre 2,6 y 2,9). pic.twitter.com/hjGasy1TQv
— MeteoÁvila (@Meteoavila2) August 18, 2026
The disruption comes at a sensitive time for Spain’s tourism industry, with Granada and the wider Andalusian region attracting millions of visitors each year.
For local authorities, however, the immediate priority is less economic than practical: assessing structural damage, keeping residents away from unstable buildings and preparing for the possibility that the ground has not finished moving.
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