Earthquakes in Spain

Yes, Spain does have earthquakes. The most seismically active region is the south-east — Murcia, Almería, Granada and the Vega Baja of Alicante — where the African and Eurasian plates slowly converge. Most events are small, but the area has produced damaging quakes such as Lorca in 2011.

The map below shows earthquakes recorded across Spain and nearby areas in the last 24 hours, straight from USGS data. Southern Spain, the Pyrenees and the Canary Islands are the zones to watch. While Spain is not as active as Chile or Japan, moderate earthquakes are a real and recurring hazard in the south.