Moroccan quake felt in Andalucia

THE COASTAL city of Al Hoceima, in Morocco, was the epicentre of a magnitude-4.9 earthquake on January 21, the National Geographic Institute confirmed. 

Its numerous aftershocks were felt 270 miles away in Spain’s North African enclave Ceuta, as well as in parts of Andalucia including Malaga, Almeria, Jaen and Cadiz. 

According to emergency services operating in Al Hoceima, the moderate tremor has not claimed lives or caused any damage to the infrastructure of those places affected. 

Morocco has experienced 27 earthquakes since 1940. One of those was the 2004 Al Hoceima quake, which registered 6.3 and killed between 628 and 631 people, while injuring 926 others. Up to 15,000 lost their homes in the natural disaster. 

Al Hoceima is located on the northern edge of the Rif mountain belt, which forms part of the boundary between the African and Eurasian plates.