Spain Earthquake Triggers Panic as Airport Ceiling Collapses and Tremors Shake Holiday Hotspots
Holidaymakers and residents across southern Spain were rocked awake this morning after a powerful Spain earthquake struck off the coast of Almería — shaking homes, rattling nerves, and even bringing down parts of a ceiling at a busy airport café.
The 5.4-magnitude quake hit at 7:13am, startling hundreds from their sleep across seven provinces. Its epicentre was located just under two miles beneath the sea, off the southeastern coastline near Níjar. And while the tremor packed serious power, miraculously, no injuries have been reported.
But the shockwaves caused real chaos. At Almería Airport, stunned early-morning travellers watched in disbelief as the ceiling of a café inside the departures lounge caved in.
“We heard some noises one after the other and then a loud bang and a great cloud of dust appeared,” a worker recalled.
“It was a real scare for us. There were airport workers having their first coffee of the day but luckily no one was injured.”
The area was swiftly sealed off for safety inspections. Nearby in Huércal de Almería, a Toyota car showroom also suffered ceiling damage. Tiles rained down, and staff were left shaken. Emergency services received a flurry of calls — 25 in total — most from Almería, but also from Granada and Jaén.
Homes across Granada, Murcia, Alicante, Jaén, and Albacete felt the tremors too. For many, it was a rude awakening.
“I was asleep and I’ve woken up to the bed shaking,” said one Bédar resident.
“There was a loud rumbling and the whole house shook,” said another from Tabernas.
Another witness from Torre said: “In the last 10 years this was strongest I have felt. The building shook strongly for a few seconds and triggered the earthquake alert on my phone. Woke me up with a startle!”
A holidaymaker in Torre added: “We have never experienced this before while on holiday. The shaking woke us up and we just thought, what the hell was that?”
Locals quickly took to social media to share their experiences. One posted a video showing a ceiling lamp swaying violently. Others said it was the strongest quake they’d felt in decades.
“Felt this way up in Granada, where I woke up early today wondering why my bed was rocking back and forth,” wrote one user.
Another said: “Who felt the earth quake this morning at 7.10am? It was the biggest one in 23 years in Almeria.”
Mobile alerts were sent out in Almería and Granada, warning residents about the quake and potential aftershocks. Authorities advised people to tread carefully — even indoors — suggesting they wear shoes and check for hazards like gas leaks.
Experts say the quake’s relatively shallow depth explains why it was felt so widely and strongly. Spain’s National Geographic Institute confirmed that the tremor reached an intensity of IV to V on the European Macroseismic Scale — levels described as “widely observed” and “strong.”
Despite the disruption, damage has been largely superficial — unlike the deadly 2011 quake in Lorca, which claimed nine lives. This time, the shaking originated beneath the sea, sparing inland infrastructure from the worst impacts.
“If it had been near a city and closer to the surface it could have been far more destructive,” explained seismologist Javier Fernández Fraile.
Southern Spain lies along a seismically active fault line, making small earthquakes a fairly common occurrence. But quakes of this strength, particularly ones that are felt so far inland and in tourist areas, are rare.
For now, the region breathes a collective sigh of relief — though many will be keeping their shoes by the bed tonight.
