What was meant to be a peaceful morning along Spain’s southern coast turned into a tense wake-up call today.
Just after 7am, a powerful earthquake rattled homes, hotels, and nerves across more than 50 towns—including popular tourist spots like Alicante and Roquetas de Mar.
For many locals and holidaymakers, it wasn’t the kind of alarm they expected to start their day with.
5.5 Magnitude Tremor Rocks the Coast
The quake, which measured 5.5 on the Richter scale, struck off the coast of Almería at a depth of just two kilometres.
According to Spain’s National Geographic Institute, the tremor hit at 7:13am local time, giving the southeastern coast a very real shake.
Despite being short, the quake was strong and widespread—felt not only in Almería, but also as far as Malaga, Granada, Jaén, Murcia, Alicante, and Albacete.
A Rough Morning for Tourists and Locals
Visitors and residents alike described the jolt as anything but minor.
One tourist staying in Roquetas de Mar posted on social media:
“It was very noticeable and lasted a few seconds—the whole hotel room was shaking.”
A British expat living in Almería said the tremors gave her a “rude awakening” and added, “It was pretty scary to say the least.”
Another resident echoed the same, saying “the whole house shook.”
A Reminder of April’s Smaller Quake
This isn’t the first seismic shake the region has felt this year.
Back in April, a less powerful but still alarming quake rattled Costa Blanca, sending Easter holidaymakers flying out of bed just after midnight.
One Brit living in Los Balcones, just south of Alicante, shared how he was shaken awake and couldn’t sleep again for fear another tremor was coming.
“This was the strongest and loudest I’ve experienced yet,” he posted.
Another resident said it was “the strongest quake I have ever felt in my life.”
That earlier quake had an epicentre just five kilometres from a busy holiday area and registered a magnitude of 3.
No Major Damage, But High Alert
While today’s quake thankfully didn’t cause any immediate reports of damage or injuries, the emotional impact was clear.
Sudden tremors like this are unsettling for anyone—but especially for those on holiday or living far from home.
The incident is yet another reminder that even Spain’s idyllic coastlines aren’t immune to natural surprises.