Earthquakes shake Beniel and the Vega Baja

Residents across the Region of Murcia and the neighbouring Alicante area of Vega Baja felt two earthquakes during the early hours of this morning, Wednesday 30th September, with epicentres located near Beniel.

The first seismic event was registered at 2:04 a.m. by the National Geographic Institute (IGN). Centred southeast of Beniel, the tremor reached a magnitude of 3.1 with a depth of approximately three kilometres and an intensity rating of III. People living in various surrounding towns felt the movement, though no significant consequences have been reported so far.

Just over four hours later, a second earthquake struck the same zone at 6:31 a.m. Updated IGN data shared by local media showed this tremor reached a magnitude of 3.0 at a depth of roughly five kilometres. Initial estimates had pointed towards San Pedro del Pinatar before being revised to Beniel.

These tremors follow a series of recent seismic events in the same location. On September 25th, the IGN recorded a magnitude 3.5 earthquake southeast of Beniel at a depth of eight kilometres with a maximum intensity of III to IV. A smaller magnitude 1.6 movement was then registered in the southeast of the municipality on September 26th.

Low-magnitude tremors are relatively common in the southeastern part of the Iberian Peninsula due to frequent seismic activity. No injuries or damage have been linked to the two earthquakes that occurred early this morning.