2011 Lorca Earthquake

Date: May 11, 2011 • Location: Lorca, Spain

An earthquake registering Mw 5.1, the worst to hit the region for more than 50 years, struck near Lorca, Spain.

The 2011 Lorca earthquake was a moderate 5.1 Mw earthquake that occurred 18:47 CEST on 11 May 2011, near the town of Lorca, causing significant localized damage in the Region of Murcia, Spain, and panic among locals, and displacing many from their homes. The quake was preceded by a magnitude 4.4 foreshock at 17:05, that inflicted substantial damage to many older structures in the area, including the historical Espolón Tower of Lorca Castle, the Hermitage of San Clemente and the Convent of Virgen de Las Huertas. Three people were killed by a falling cornice. A total of nine deaths have been confirmed, while dozens are reported injured. The earthquake was the worst to hit the region since a 5.0 Mw tremor struck west of Albolote, Granada in 1956.