The National Geographic Institute (IGN) has recorded a low-magnitude seismic movement in the municipality of Manilva in the last few hours, as part of a period of heightened seismic activity in the area, with several earthquakes also located around Casares.
According to information confirmed by this news outlet, no calls or alerts have been received from residents, and no incidents have been recorded by the emergency services, so there is no evidence that this series of tremors was felt by residents of Casares and Manilva.
📍 Seismic record in Manilva
Date: 7 February
Local time: 01:47
Location: SW Manilva (Málaga)
Magnitude: 1.7 mbLg
Depth: 35 km
This is a very low-magnitude movement, common in areas with moderate seismic activity and which, given its characteristics, causes no damage or noticeable effects.
📍 Seismic activity around Casares
This record forms part of a sequence of seismic movements detected in nearby municipalities, mainly in Casares, where five earthquakes were recorded between yesterday afternoon and last night.
07/02 – 05:21 → 2.5 mbLg (West of Casares – intensity III)
07/02 – 02:03 → 2.1 mbLg (East of Casares)
06/02 – 23:16 → 1.6 mbLg (North-east of Casares)
06/02 – 21:03 → 1.5 mbLg (North-east of Casares)
06/02 – 19:37 → 1.7 mbLg (West of Casares)
All of them occurred at medium depths, which helped ensure they were not felt significantly at the surface.
ℹ️ Why do these movements occur?
The National Geographic Institute points out that the western Costa del Sol and the Campo de Gibraltar form part of a contact zone between tectonic plates, which causes frequent but generally low-magnitude seismic activity.
Regarding the recent rain and the large amount of accumulated water, there is currently no conclusive scientific explanation that would allow a direct link to be asserted between the rainfall accumulated in recent days and these earthquakes, but it cannot be ruled out.
The IGN notes that, although in certain geological contexts water can influence minor adjustments in the ground, there is insufficient evidence to attribute these seismic episodes to the recorded rainfall, with a tectonic origin being the most likely.
🛑 Basic advice in the event of an earthquake
Although these movements have not caused any incident among the population, residents are advised to be familiar with some basic self-protection guidelines in such cases:
- Stay calm and avoid running.
- Indoors, take cover under a sturdy table or next to a load-bearing wall.
- Move away from windows and objects that could fall.
- Outdoors, move to open spaces, away from buildings and power cables.
- Do not use lifts during or immediately after the tremor.
- Always keep informed through official sources.
The authorities remind the public that this type of movement falls within the normal seismic activity of the area and is common throughout the Strait area.
