Popular tourist area hit by 'strongest earthquake in 60 years' | World News

Residents of Gran Canaria described it as “like a steamroller passing by” (Image: Getty Images/Westend61)

Gran Canaria, one of Spain's Canary Islands and a favourite tourist destination for Britons, has been hit by its strongest earthquake in 60 years.

The Spanish National Geographic Institute said the tremors, which occurred at 7.20 p.m. local time and lasted one minute, initially registered at 4.2 magnitude.

But officials revised the number later that evening to 3.8, meaning the quake was likely felt and strong enough to cause minor damage.

The Canary News reported that the earthquake struck at a shallow depth of 20.5 kilometres below the epicenter near Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the island's capital and home to about 380,000 people.

The tremor was felt by local residents in 14 of the island's 14 municipalities.

Itahisa Dominguez, director of the Canary Islands National Geographic Institute, said it was one of the biggest earthquakes to hit the island in six decades.

The epicenter of the earthquake was off the coast of the island's capital (Image: National Geographic Institute)

Locals compared the earthquake to thunder, with dishes shaking, windows creaking and light fixtures shaking.

“The bed shook and there were creaking sounds coming from the wardrobe. It was a real shock,” said a resident of Santa Cristina, about 10 miles southwest of the quake's epicenter.

Another added: “It felt like a steamroller went through here.”

No injuries or damage were reported.

Most people reported experiencing a mild tremor, rated as a magnitude 3 on the Mercalli scale, although about five reports of a magnitude 5 tremor were recorded as far as 12 miles from the epicenter.

The earthquake struck the regions of Ajaite, Vergas, Araucas, Teror and Moya, while it was also felt in central regions such as Vega de San Mateo, Vallecico and Vallecico.

The Canary Islands receive large numbers of British holidaymakers every year (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

In towns like Galdar, about 25 miles away, and Ingenio, 50 miles to the south, the quake was felt less strongly. Residents of Telde and Mogan also said they felt the ground shake.

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“I didn't feel anything and when I heard the news I thought it was a joke,” said a woman from Jia City.

Officials did not record any further aftershocks but did not rule out further seismic activity.

Gran Canaria, located near several fault lines, is no stranger to earthquakes.

A 3.8 magnitude earthquake struck Vega de San Mateo eight years ago, and it was felt so strongly that even northern cities like Agaete felt it.

Contact our news team by email at [email protected].

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