Torrevieja Information - tourist guide: Earthquake in Torrevieja

Earthquake in Torrevieja
================================================================================
P. Martínez on 05 February, 2012 06:43:00

An earthquake of just 3 or 4 seconds long, has been felt in Torrevieja at 5:45am

The three seconds and 3,1 points on the Richter scale  earthqueake has been felt
in Torrevieja today, 5th of February 2012, at  around 5:45 a.m.
According to the National Geografic Institute,  the epicentre of this earthquake
has been located at sea, in Cabo de Palos, about 15 km from Torrevieja and 12
kilometers deep. No  damage has been caused at all apart from the surprise and
nerviosism of  those Torrevieja citizens who felt the tremor.
The silence of the night, has made this tremor became much more noticeable,
causing great alarm among people who are afraid to hear how the glass of the
windows of their houses shaking.
In the last 12 months, there have been several tremors have been felt in the
Torrevieja area, although of limited intensity.
The largest earthquake has been felt in recent months, was on 23 March 2011,
reaching an intensity of 3.1 degrees, but had lower sensory impact occur at
11:28 a.m.
Almost two centuries ago Torrevieja was devastated by an earthquake.
On  the 21th of March 1829, a 6,6 point on the Richter scale earthquake 
destroyed Torrevieja and many villages of the Vega Baja. As a result,  389
people died, 32 of which died in Torrevieja.
The church  collapsed and 534 houses tumbled down. The city of Torrevieja had to
be  completely rebuilt, that's why the new town was designed in parallel and 
perpendicular streets thanks to the engineer Agustín Larramendi.
The  area of the Bajo Segura ( the Low Segura area) is settled on three  faults:
the one Benejúzar-Benijófar, the Guardamar one and the  Torrevieja one. The
Alicante coast is 10 metres under the Torrevieja  fault.
More about the 1928 Torrevieja earthquake