Balearics shaken but not stirred by earthquake

Spain, by comparison with countries further to the east in the Mediterranean, is at relatively low risk of suffering serious earthquakes, but the risk is still there. In Mallorca, there are specific fault lines, one between the Balearics and Alicante and another on the island itself, the Sencelles fault.

There have been more than 55 earth tremors in the Balearics in the last 400 years. The majority were shallow, less than 10k in depth and of low magnitude, under 3.5 on the Richter scale. They caused no injuries or damage to buildings as the ground is not subject to large plate movements but to microfaults in the sea which may occasion minor tremors. In addition, seismic movements in North Africa are frequent and their proximately affects the islands.

In February 2020 an earthquake was recorded in the centre of the island, with its epicentre in Petra and Manacor. In November 2011 there was a similar phenomenon, also of low intensity, with a magnitude of 2.1 on the Richter scale, which had its epicentre in the area of sa Bastida, in the municipality of Sant Joan. On February 8, 2012, another earthquake once again shook the centre of the island. On this occasion, the epicentre was in the area of es Pagos (also in Sant Joan) and was 12 kilometres deep, with a lower magnitude of 1.8 on the Richter scale.

The single most deadly earthquake in modern Spanish history occurred in Arenas de Rey in Granada in 1884 with an estimated magnitude of 6.5-7 (Richter) and an intensity of 10 (MSK). Almost 800 people were killed and 1,500 were injured. 14,000 homes were destroyed.