New tremors hit Granada after earlier quake, injuring three and restricting Alhambra access
Three more earthquakes have shaken Spain's southern Granada province, prompting restrictions at the Alhambra complex and precautionary closures across the area. The tremors caused damage to buildings and led to at least three light injuries, according to regional officials. One of those injured was a child who was taken to hospital.
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The country's National Geographic Institute said the quakes each measured above magnitude 4. The strongest, a magnitude 4.7 tremor, struck at 10.37am local time with a surface-level epicentre in Gojar, about 10km south of Granada city. Officials said the shallow depth made the quake more strongly felt and more likely to cause localised damage.
Andalusia's regional official Antonio Sanz said the sequence had affected residential buildings, with cracks appearing in walls, parts of facades dislodged and bricks scattered on pavements. The provincial authority said it was closing administrative buildings, museums and sports facilities, while keeping primary health centres open. Granada's metro system said it was reducing train speeds to 30km/h as a precaution, and local media reported that several hotels were evacuated.
The latest tremors follow Saturday's magnitude 5 earthquake in the historic city of Granada, which damaged houses and cars and forced the temporary closure of the Alhambra. The site, a medieval palace-fortress and one of Spain's main tourist attractions, received 2.7 million visitors last year. This week's restrictions show how a continuing seismic sequence can quickly affect heritage sites, public services and local transport in a densely populated and heavily visited area.
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Granada lies in a seismically active part of southern Spain, where authorities regularly monitor earthquake activity because even moderate quakes can cause disruption when they are shallow and close to urban centres. The Alhambra's partial access restrictions underline the sensitivity of protecting historic structures while keeping tourism moving. The closures of museums, sports facilities and administrative buildings also suggest officials are trying to reduce risk while assessments continue.
What remains unclear is the full extent of the damage across the province and whether further tremors will follow. Officials have not said how long the restrictions at the Alhambra will remain in place, or when normal operations will resume at affected public buildings and transport services. The next focus will be on structural checks, public safety measures and whether the seismic sequence eases in the coming hours.
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