An earthquake has been recorded in Malaga just days after the Costa del Sol was shook by a 4.8 magnitude tremor.
The latest quake in the Axarquia town of Iznate measured 2.5 on the Richter scale shortly after 10am, according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), and at a depth of 19km.
Although minor, the quake comes only five days after the much stronger 4.8-magnitude event centred off Fuengirola at the start of the holiday weekend.
That tremor, which occurred 77km deep and reached intensity level 3, was felt across large parts of the Costa del Sol.
The province has experienced several small quakes in recent weeks, but the Fuengirola event was the most significant in years.
Just days earlier, on December 1, another 3.2-magnitude quake was registered off Estepona.
The episodes are part of the ongoing seismic behaviour that is typical of a region situated between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Malaga lies close to the Alboran Fault, a complex system of active faults beneath the Alboran Sea.
This geological setup makes the region prone to occasional tremors, even if large earthquakes are uncommon.
The Alboran Fault, which includes major structures such as the Averroes and Carboneras faults, is capable of generating significant earthquakes and even tsunamis.
Small seismic movements are recorded ‘daily’, although most are too weak to be felt.
Experts say the tremors recorded over the past week fall into the ‘normal’ range, but that experts will continue to monitor all seismic activity.
