5.4-Magnitude Earthquake Collapses Airport Roof, Shakes Hundreds of Towns in Southern Spain

A powerful 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck southern Spain, affecting seven provinces across Andalusia and the Levante region, including popular tourist areas like Costa del Sol and Alicante. The quake, which occurred nearly two miles below sea level off the coast of Almería, caused the roof of a cafe at Almeria Airport to collapse and damaged a Toyota car showroom nearby, though no injuries have been reported. The tremors were felt in hundreds of towns and villages, with significant impact in 17 municipalities in Almeria and other provinces such as Granada, Malaga, Jaen, Murcia, Alicante, and Albacete. Witnesses described strong shaking that woke residents and rattled windows, highlighting the quake as one of the strongest felt in the region in recent years. Authorities have cordoned off the damaged areas to ensure safety, and despite the quake being more powerful than the 2011 Lorca earthquake, the greater depth helped reduce the destruction on land. Spain’s weather service also issued severe storm warnings for several other provinces, compounding the region’s challenges following recent flash floods and heavy rain.