4.3 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles Almeria, Startling British Tourists and Residents
A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the province of Almeria in Spain just before 1am today, causing beds to shake and furniture to rattle across the popular holiday region. The tremor, which occurred at 00.55 hours, was strongly felt by locals and British tourists, with one person describing it as "like a lorry scraping across the side of my house." So far, there have been no reports of damage, but the shallow depth of the epicentre near Tabernas made the quake more intense.
Epicentre and Initial Reports
The National Geographic Institute confirmed the earthquake's epicentre was in the town of Tabernas, close to the Desierto de Tabernas solar plant, at an extremely shallow depth on the earth's surface. Initially reported as a 4.5 magnitude event, it was later revised to 4.3. Residents across Almeria reported feeling the tremor, with one stating, "He was sleeping and the whole bed has moved," and another adding, "I was on the sofa and it has moved backwards." The mayor of Tabernas, José Díaz, confirmed the strong impact, saying, "What a fright we had; the whole house shook." Minutes after the quake, people ventured outside to check for potential damage.
Aftershocks and Wider Impact
Following the main earthquake, the National Geographic Institute recorded five minor aftershocks with magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 1.9, occurring between 1:03 am and 1:23 am. These tremors had deeper epicentres, from 3 km to 13 km, and were also centred near Tabernas. The earthquake was felt in over 100 municipalities and at least four provinces: Almeria, Murcia, Granada, and Jaén, according to reports received by the institute.
Recent Seismic Activity in the Region
This event comes just three days after another earthquake alarmed part of Almeria. On Thursday, February 12, a 3.2 magnitude tremor in Partaloa shook the ground and was felt in nearly a dozen municipalities in the Almanzora Valley region. Last year, on July 14, a significant 5.3 magnitude earthquake occurred in Almeria, one of the strongest in 70 years, but its epicentre was in the sea southeast of Cabo de Gata, preventing serious consequences.
Additionally, on February 14, the National Geographic Institute issued a bulletin about a series of earthquakes affecting the Malaga region. Since February 3, 2026, 287 small-magnitude earthquakes, mostly below magnitude 3, have been recorded southwest of Malaga and southeast of Cadiz. These events, at very shallow depths, have been felt by residents in nearby towns, with the institute receiving over 440 questionnaires via its website and mobile app.
