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Date Published: 13/01/2025

Valencian Community records 21 earthquakes in 30 days

Over the weekend, the Alicante town Alcoy was rocked by a 3.2 magnitude earthquake

As well as contending with the devastating DANA flooding and the intensive clean-up operation that ensued, the Valencian Community has been a seismic hotbed recently. Cocentaina near Alcoy was the epicentre on Sunday January 12 of the most intense earthquake recorded in the last 30 days in Spain, a period in which Valencia has shuddered through no fewer than 21 quakes.

The Cocentaina earthquake, measuring a magnitude of 3.2 according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), took place at 1.24pm in the capital of the Comtat and was felt in other regions such as l' Alcoi à, l'Alt Vinalopó or la Vall d'Albaida.

Rated at intensity III-IV on the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98), it’s still considered fairly weak and while it caused no damage, it was widely felt indoors. Many residents reported the tremor’s intensity, with some even stepping outside to steady their nerves.

Witnesses described the experience as “incredible”, noting that the quake felt particularly strong in areas like Agres and Alquería de Aznar.

While the Valencian Community has seen 21 earthquakes in the last month, most have been minor. Eleven were so small - under 2.0 in magnitude - that they went completely unnoticed. Another nine ranged between 2.0 and 3.0, barely detectable to the population. Sunday’s tremor in Cocentaina was one of the strongest, along with a 2.5-magnitude quake earlier the same morning in Sumacàrcer, which also experienced a weaker tremor over the weekend.

Sumacàrcer has now been at the centre of five of the 11 earthquakes recorded in Valencia's Ribera Alta region in just 30 days.

Such minor tremors are common in this part of Spain, as much of the southeastern Iberian Peninsula, from Granada and Almería to Alicante and Valencia, lies in a seismically active zone. The area is crisscrossed by fault lines where the African, Eurasian and Alboran tectonic plates meet, making it prone to frequent, low-intensity tremors.

Of the 21 recorded quakes, 12 occurred in the province of Valencia, eight in Alicante and just one in Castellón. The Ribera Alta region has been the busiest seismic spot, with tremors happening roughly once every 10 hours. Stronger quakes like the one in Cocentaina occur about once every two days.

Historically, the Valencian Community has seen far more devastating seismic activity, including the Tavernes de la Valldigna earthquake in 1396 and the infamous 1748 Estubeny earthquake, which destroyed Montesa’s iconic castle.

Also of interest: Pay-per-use rubbish system approved in Orihuela

Images: IGN

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