The succession of earthquakes has heightened concern in Granada, where residents feel every ground movement with unease. Following a magnitude 5 tremor that occurred shortly after one in the morning on August 15th, which was felt even in Almería and Málaga, the ground has shaken on more than forty occasions. This seismic event, the most significant in four decades, has prompted many citizens to go out into the streets in the middle of the night.
"People are taking their cars out of the garages in case something else happens," explains Ángel, a resident of La Zubia, who admits his nervousness. This phenomenon, known as a seismic swarm, is not new to the area, recalling a similar one that occurred five years ago which also kept Granadans on edge.
“"Last night was tremendous. The entire center was full of people who couldn't go back to their homes due to distress."
This time, the main tremor reached 5 mbLg, with its epicenter in Alhendín. The Junta de Andalucía activated emergency level 1 for seismic risk. The distress caused many to leave their homes, including tourists, as Esther, a Granada resident who decided to leave her home, recounts: "Last night was tremendous. The entire center was full of people who couldn't go back to their homes due to distress."
Despite safety recommendations not to leave buildings during the tremor, the survival instinct prevailed in many cases. Antonio, who lives on the sixth floor in Granada capital, described how his house shook "as if it were a boat" during a 3.7 mbLg tremor with its epicenter in La Zubia. Other similar descriptions speak of homes moving "at the mercy of the wind."
The seismic swarm has been accompanied by a thermal burst that has generated intense storms and rain, increasing concern. "This is tremendous: there are earthquakes, now there are thunderstorms, and we won't be able to go out because something is always happening," comments José, from Ogíjares. The earthquakes have caused minor material damage, such as cracks in walls, fallen furniture, and collapses of cornices and facades.
José Ignacio, a resident of the metropolitan area, points out that in his uncles' neighborhood, there was damage inside houses and falling debris. The unstable soil in the Vega de Granada, being agricultural, and the shallow depth of the seismic movements, have intensified the perception of vibrations.
Most Granadans agree on the "shock" and the inability to sleep after the magnitude 5 earthquake. The situation recalls the episode from five years ago, but people are still not accustomed to it. Concern is heightened by remembering more severe recent earthquakes in Colombia and Venezuela. "We are worried, but we have to be patient," concludes Ana, a Granada resident accustomed to such episodes.
