A magnitude 5.2 earthquake in Lorca rocked the town which is in Murcia, southern Spain yesterday afternoon.
Earthquake in Lorca shakes region of Murcia
It was around 17:05 when the earthquake struck yesterday afternoon in Lorca, Murcia, in Southern Spain. 8 people are dead and around 160 are hurt, two of them seriously.
The magnitude-5.2 tremor toppled several buildings after striking at a depth of just 1km, 120km south-west of Alicante.
Many cars lay crushed under tonnes of rubble and a hospital was evacuated as a precaution.
Earthquake in Lorca captured by Spanish TV
Spanish TV captured dramatic images of the earthquake in Lorca of a church bell tower crashing to the ground, landing just metres from a cameraman.
Shocked residents and workers rushed out of buildings and gathered in squares, parks and open spaces. Old buildings were badly damaged.
Earthquake in Lorca – people afraid to go back home
As night fell many people were still too afraid to return to their homes.
“The whole of the centre of Lorca has been seriously damaged,” a delegate from the regional government of Murcia told national radio.
“There are thousands of very disorientated people.”
