TOURISTS at a British holiday hotspot have been put on alert as an earthquake struck a popular resort.
Holidaymakers on the Costa del Sol were shaken by a 4.2 magnitude tremor on Friday morning.
Hitting the province of Malaga, the epicentre was tracked to Fuengirola, but could be felt in Córdoba, Benalmádena and Rincón de la Victoria and other nearby towns.
According to the National Geographic Institute (IGN), the tremor was recorded at 10.38am at a depth of 79km.
No major incidents or material damage have been reported in the affected areas; however, local authorities remain on alert.
No injuries or fatalities have been reported.
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Friday morning’s earthquake is the second recorded this week, with another shaking Spain at a magnitude of 3.2.
The epicentre of the December 1 quake was tracked to the Malaga town of Estepona.
This is the sixth most powerful tremor recorded this year in the region across Spain, Portugal and northern Morocco.
Although noticeable, this kind of earthquake usually doesn’t cause significant damage; however, residents and tourists have been urged to stay aware of any aftershocks.
Authorities have told people in the area to follow the instructions of emergency services, in case further alerts arise.
The province, located near the Alboran Fault, is a seismically active zone due to the contact between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Residents were however taken by surprise, as tremors of this intensity are not frequent.
As the tremor was felt through Spanish neighbourhoods, locals were quick to react.
Victoria García, an El Candado resident, described the moment she felt the quake during her morning routine.
“I was sitting at my desk when the earthquake hit,” she told local media.
“I realized that the jacket that was hanging up fell to the floor and the windows started rattling.”
Another resident in nearyb Competa said: “The house shook for a few seconds and the floor felt like it was vibrating.”
Posts began to flood social media, with one person saying “all my furniture shook”.
Another commented: “I felt my house shake” and “felt bed move and heard the house shaking 2-4 times in a wave”.
More recounts included one person saying “I was lying on my bed and felt the mattress move and shake while lying”.
A fourth posted: “Sat on couch it started to go shake and the standard lamp was banging against the wall, lasted about 5-10 seconds”.