Earthquake off Andalucía coast
Monday, November 3, 2014 @ 10:45 AM
AN EARTHQUAKE measuring 4.7 on the Richter scale has struck in Andalucía and was felt in the provinces of Málaga, Sevilla and Córdoba, according to the National Geographical Institute.
At present, the extent of the damage - if any - is not known, but the epicentre is said to be at least 64 kilometres below the surface to the west of the island of Alborán, just off the coast of the Spanish-owned city-province of Ceuta on the northern shores of Morocco.
Although the intensity was reasonably high, the fact it was so far below ground means it is likely to have caused limited destruction.
Earthquakes are common in the south and south-east of Spain, but usually so mild that little more than a temporary 'push' from ground level is felt and damage, if any, is limited to the occasional ornament falling off a shelf or a small crack in a window - much the same as would happen if a heavy lorry was driven past at speed.
A massive quake in Lorca, Murcia on May 11, 2011 caused buildings to crumble and claimed several lives, and many of the hundreds of homeowners affected are still waiting for the government to carry out the repairs.
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