On 18 August 2026 a series of earthquakes shook the province of Granada. The Instituto Geográfico Nacional recorded a main earthquake at 10.38 am local time, with its epicentre near Gójar; its magnitude was given as between 4.6 and 4.8 over the course of the day, depending on the assessment. Several aftershocks were felt within a short time; four tremors with a magnitude of 4.0 or higher were reported in total.
Granada City Council then raised its municipal emergency plan to operational level Fase 1 According to the authorities, three people suffered minor injuries, and one person was taken to hospital for observation. Nine significant cases of damage were recorded; in the city centre and adjoining neighbourhoods, police closed seven roads because of fallen façade sections and loose building components. In Las Gabias 600 residents from 371 homes were moved to safe areas as a precaution. The Junta de Andalucía co-ordinated the emergency crews and technical inspections.
Mayor Marifrán Carazo justified the escalation by citing the large number of reports of structural damage and the need to deploy resources in a co-ordinated way. Public facilities temporarily reduced their operations; the Alhambra was closed to visitors at intervals as a precaution, as were parts of the town hall and events at the Palacio de Congresos. Structural inspections of affected buildings are under way, and cordoned-off areas will remain inaccessible for now.
Experts from the Instituto Andaluz de Geofísica classify the events as a related seismic series in the tectonically active Vega de Granada plain. Further earthquakes cannot be forecast in the short term; the monitoring network is being analysed closely, supplemented by on-site inspections. The background includes an event of similar strength recorded on the night of 15 August, with an epicentre near Alhendín, which framed the current series in the region.
The magnitudes and epicentres recorded, the numbers of injuries and evacuations, and the municipal measures are based on statements by the relevant authorities on 18 August 2026. Assessments of the causes and possible continuation of the activity come from the seismological institutions involved. The authorities advised the public to observe cordons strictly and follow the instructions of emergency crews while building inspections and safety work continue.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).