Earthquake in Torrevieja

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