Magnitude 3.5 earthquake shakes Region of Murcia, buildings and furniture sway

The Region of Murcia was left shaken on the morning of Friday, September 25, as a magnitude 3.5 earthquake was felt, with its epicentre in the municipality of Beniel near Sucina, according to information provided by the National Geographic Institute. According to the data, the earthquake, which occurred at 11:04am, was recorded at a depth of eight kilometres.

Beniel, on the border with the Alicante province

Beniel, a municipality near Sucina where the epicentre of the earthquake was, is located about 22 kilometres southeast of the capital city of Murcia and near the provincial border with Alicante, and residents from all over the area felt the effects of the tremor.

Initially, the seismographs indicated a magnitude of 3.3, but a further correction raised the figure to 3.5. Because the earthquake was recorded at a relatively shallow depth, the seismic wave was felt more intensely at the surface and spread the trembling sensation throughout many parts of the region. 

Tremor felt by residents from nearby municipalities in the Region of Murcia and Alicante

The tremor was felt by thousands of residents in the first few minutes after it occurred, including in Murcia City, Molina de Segura, and Beniel. The earthquake was also felt in the neighbouring province of Alicante. Reportedly, the earthquake was strong enough to cause the swaying of buildings and furniture.

In total, due to the tremor, the 112 emergency telephone number in the Region of Murcia has received a total of 35 calls. However, despite the scare, none of the calls reported any damage.

Murcia shaken again after August tremor left residents reeling

This is one of the strongest earthquakes recorded in the Region of Murcia in recent times. Another earthquake was recorded earlier this year on August 2, with a magnitude of 4.1. The epicentre of that tremor was located between Librilla and Pliego, meaning it was felt more inland and, above all, between the Guadalentin Valley and the Rio Mula region.

Following the alert of the earthquake, the regional government of Murcia activated its Sismimur Emergency Plan, which involves heavy monitoring and informing local authorities, including police, the Guardia Civil, and the general population of Murcia.