USGS · August 15, 2026

Magnitude 5.2 earthquake — 2 km W of Las Gabias, Spain

A magnitude 5.2 earthquake was recorded near 2 km W of Las Gabias, Spain on Aug 15, 2026, 01:04 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+2), at a depth of about 10.0 km, according to USGS.

USGSFelt by 126 people · community intensity VII (very strong)Shaking VIIPAGER YellowShallow (0–70 km)Reviewed by a seismologist

Updated 2026-09-04 16:47 UTC

The full record

Magnitude
M 5.2 · body-wave magnitude
Location
2 km W of Las Gabias, Spain
Local time at the epicentre
Aug 15, 2026, 01:04 AM — UTC+2
Time (UTC)
2026-08-14 23:04 UTC
Depth
10.0 km · Shallow (0–70 km)
Coordinates
37.136, -3.696
Felt reports
Felt by 126 people · community intensity VII (very strong)
Estimated shaking
VII · Very strong
PAGER impact alert
Yellow — A local response is likely: some casualties and damage are possible.
Tsunami
No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.
Significance
734 / 1000 · major event
Solution quality
47 seismic stations used · 67° azimuthal gap (well-constrained epicentre)
Review status
Reviewed by a seismologist
Catalog
USGS

Open the official catalog record

Epicentre and nearby recent earthquakes

The highlighted circle is this earthquake. Smaller circles are other events recorded nearby in the last 30 days.

What the shaking was like

Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.

Estimated instrumental shaking VII (Very strong): Difficult to stand; considerable damage in poorly built structures.

People who reported it described intensity VII (Very strong): Difficult to stand; considerable damage in poorly built structures.

Felt it yourself? USGS collects first-hand reports through “Did You Feel It?”, and those reports are what produce the community intensity above.

Who lives nearby

About 543,324 people live in towns within 30 km of the epicentre, and 2,751,516 within 100 km. Distances are from the epicentre to the town centre.

PlaceDistancePopulation
Las Gabias2.3 km E16,369
Cúllar-Vega3.0 km NE5,487
Churriana de la Vega4.6 km ENE12,001
Alhendín5.4 km SE4,899
Santafé6.2 km NNW15,430
Armilla6.4 km E21,380
Otura7.7 km SE5,362
Ogíjares8.1 km ESE13,119
Gójar8.8 km ESE5,024
Maracena9.6 km NE20,815

Earthquake history in this area

12 earthquakes of magnitude 4.5+ have been recorded within 200 km of this epicentre since 1960, in Spain.

Other earthquakes near this epicentre

391 other events within 100 km in the last 30 days.

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Frequently asked questions

How strong was the 2 km W of Las Gabias, Spain earthquake?

Magnitude 5.2 (body-wave magnitude), at a depth of 10.0 km. Shallow earthquakes release their energy close to the surface, so they are felt more strongly nearby than a deeper earthquake of the same magnitude.

Exactly when did it happen?

Aug 15, 2026, 01:04 AM (local time at the epicentre — UTC+2). In universal time: 2026-08-14 23:04 UTC.

Was it felt?

Felt by 126 people · community intensity VII (very strong). Difficult to stand; considerable damage in poorly built structures.

Was there a tsunami warning?

No tsunami evaluation was flagged for this earthquake.

Which towns are closest to the epicentre?

The closest is Las Gabias, 2.3 km E (population 16,369).

Are earthquakes normal in this area?

Yes. The largest earthquake recorded within 200 km since 1960 was magnitude 6.3 (49 km NNE of Al Hoceïma, Morocco, 2016), and 391 further events were recorded within 100 km in the last 30 days.

How do I get alerts for the next earthquake here?

Install the free SeismoWatch Android app, draw a box over this area, set a minimum magnitude, and turn alerts on.

About this page

Event data: U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and, in Venezuela, FUNVISIS. Populated places and time zones: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0). Preliminary solutions are revised as more observations arrive.