Residents in Almeria have been shaken once again after a fresh earthquake struck in the early hours of Friday morning.

The tremor, measuring 2.5 on the Richter scale, hit Tabernas at 5.31am and was strong enough to wake residents from their sleep.

According to Spain’s National Geographic Institute (IGN), the quake occurred at a depth of four kilometres, with its epicentre located north of the town centre, near the Barranco del Maridiego.

Felt across nearby areas

Although relatively minor, the tremor was felt in several nearby towns.

The strongest reports came from Puente de Guayar, a small district near the cemetery, where residents described a noticeable shaking. It was also felt in Tabernas itself and in the nearby village of Velefique.

On the European macroseismic scale, the intensity was rated at II–III, considered weak but still perceptible indoors.

Third quake in a week

This latest tremor marks the third earthquake recorded in the Tabernas area in just one week.

A 1.5 magnitude quake was registered on April 10, followed by a 2.0 tremor on April 12 with its epicentre in nearby Turrillas.

In total, six earthquakes have been recorded in the area over the past month, although most were so minor they went unnoticed by residents.

Area on edge after February swarm

The renewed activity follows a much more intense period in February, when more than 30 earthquakes were recorded in and around Tabernas.

The strongest of those – a magnitude 4.2 quake – struck shortly after midnight on February 16 and was felt across four provinces: Almeria, Granada, Jaen and Murcia. Despite its strength, no damage was reported.

While the recent tremors are far less powerful, their frequency is keeping residents on edge as the ground continues to shift beneath one of Andalucia’s most seismically active areas.

Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.