Two Strong Earthquakes Hit Spain; at Least 7 Dead

Major damage reported in southeast in city of Lorca
By John Johnson,  Newser Staff
Posted May 11, 2011 2:22 PM CDT
Two Strong Earthquakes Hit Japan, Causing Deaths and Major Damage
File photo of a graph measuring the magnitude of an earthquake.   (AP Photo/Shabbir Hussain Imam)

A pair of strong earthquakes hit southeastern Spain today, leaving at least seven people dead and causing major damage to buildings, reports the AP. The quakes measured 5.2 and 4.4 in magnitude and came within two hours of each other, with the epicenter near the town of Lorca. Old buildings were especially hard-hit, notes the BBC, which reports seeing a church bell tower crashing to the ground in local TV coverage. (More Spain stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X