Thursday, August 07, 2008

Update on the quake

I am reliably informed that it wasn't just one earthquake that we suffered yesterday morning but four.

The first (3.4 on the Richter scale) was at 41 minutes past midnight centred on Los Montesinos. The other three (2.2, 2.7 and 1.7 on the Richter scale) were centered at Algorfa.

People we've spoken to have related their reactions to the quakes. Many thought their houses had been hit by a large vehicle. Others described how their dogs reacted even before they heard the rumbling noise that proceeded the movement. Some went outside their houses to see what was happening. Others took a more pragmatic approach and made a cup of tea. One neighbour told us he slept through it. Fortunately, nobody has reported any injuries or damage to property.

In March 1829 there were a series of earthquakes which lasted a week and destroyed many of the towns in the area between Orihuela and Torrevieja. The one which struck Torrievieja on the 21st March destroyed 534 homes and killed 192 people. Let's hope we don't have quakes of that magnitude again.

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