A strong magnitude 4.8 earthquake, with its epicenter in Alhendín, shook Granada and neighboring provinces in the early hours of Friday, causing panic among residents who fled to the streets in their pajamas fearing building collapses.
The seismic event, which occurred at zero depth, was described by those affected as a "creaking" and a "huge roar." Many families spent hours outdoors, worried about the numerous aftershocks that have occurred and continue to happen.
Social media quickly filled with messages and images of the earthquake's impact. Some residents, including several streamers who were live at the time, captured the exact moment of the tremor.
“"It was a creaking sound, a huge roar"
“"I was watching television and the shaking made me go outside, everyone was there"
One of the most striking images was that of a car and a motorcycle buried under a fallen cornice from a building. "We felt the earthquake and went straight to the car to take shelter, and my girlfriend found it like this," recounted the owner of both vehicles, awaiting a tow truck.
Inside homes, cracks have been reported in partition walls and main walls, alerting homeowners. Seismic activity has not ceased throughout the night, with dozens of earthquakes, two of them particularly noticeable at 6:30 AM and 9:00 AM.
Following the event, many residents chose to shelter in parks and open areas, recalling seismic precedents in other regions and the 2021 seismic swarm in the province itself. Others decided to leave their homes temporarily.
With the arrival of daylight, efforts are underway to assess damaged structures and cordon off risk zones, as Granada attempts to return to normality after an anxious night.
