Almeria SHAKES! Midnight Earthquake Jolts Residents Awake!

Earthquake shakes Almeria in middle of night, jolting residents from their beds.

Almeria SHAKES! Midnight Earthquake Jolts Resident...

By Adam Woodward • Updated: 16 Feb 2026 • 11:21 • 2 minutes read

A powerful Earthquake struck the province of Almeria in southern Spain early on Monday, February 16th, jolting residents awake with a rude awakening. The tremor, which sent ripples across multiple provinces, registered a magnitude of 4.5 mbLg according to the National Geographic Institute (IGN). It hit at 00.55am local time, with its epicentre near Tabernas, not far from that sprawling Tabernas Desert solar plant. I always find it a little eerie how close these modern marvels are to such raw geological power.

The quake's shallow depth, almost at surface level, really amplified its impact. That's usually the case, of course. Residents recounted some pretty vivid experiences. One person described their bed shaking violently; another reported their sofa being pushed backward. Imagine that at nearly 1 AM!

"What a scare we got; the whole house trembled," said José Díaz, the mayor of Tabernas, speaking to local media outlets. You can just hear the concern in his voice, right?

Residents, understandably shaken, quickly took to the streets to assess any damage. Thankfully, while no significant structural damage or injuries have been reported so far, the tremor was very widely felt. Good news, at least.

In the minutes following the main quake, the IGN recorded five aftershocks in the Tabernas area. These ranged in magnitude from 1.5 to 1.9 and occurred between 1.03am and 1.23am. The aftershocks, with depths varying from 3 to 13 kilometres, had epicentres closer to the urban centre, though they were relatively minor.

This seismic event follows a recent pattern of gentle seismic activity in southern Spain. Just three days prior, on Thursday, February 12th, a milder 3.2 magnitude quake struck near Partaloa (reports also placed it near Cantoria or Nijar). It was felt in several municipalities of the Almanzora Valley, but thankfully caused no notable damage.

Other low-magnitude tremors have been recorded in the region recently. These include a 1.5 event east of Gergal on February 11th and other small quakes elsewhere in Almeria province. The wider Andalusia region has experienced similar swarms, such as in Malaga and Cadiz provinces earlier in February. Experts attribute these events to tectonic activity rather than weather conditions. While some locals have speculated that heavy rains might be a contributing factor, the IGN dismisses this theory. Guess Mother Nature just likes to keep us on our toes!

Almeria is situated in a seismically active zone due to the interaction of the African and Eurasian plates. Moderate, shallow quakes are, unfortunately, not uncommon, even though they can be unsettling for residents. Authorities are monitoring the situation for further activity. They are urging residents to remain calm and advising preparedness in this earthquake-prone area. Worth remembering where your emergency kit is, just in case.