Beneath Alicante, the Ground Is Never Still

In Alicante, the ground is nearly always in motion. Seismologists at the Valencian Community Seismic Network, SISCOVA, have logged more than 200 quakes in the province each year, though most are too faint to be felt by residents. This constant activity speaks to the province's location in an active seismic zone, where the African and Eurasian tectonic plates grind together at a rate of about five millimeters annually.

The most notorious quake was the Torrevieja disaster of 1829, which registered a magnitude of 6.5, a stark reminder of the region's seismic potential. Another significant tremor struck Jacarilla–Torremendo in 1919, measuring 5.5 on the Richter scale. The Lower Segura Fault system, stretching through southern Alicante and beneath the Mediterranean Sea, plays a crucial role in this seismic activity, influencing geological folds in the Hurchillo, Benejúzar and Guardamar ranges.

The Bajo Segura region, in particular, is highlighted on maps of seismic hazard due to this fault system. While larger earthquakes have occurred in northern Alicante's l'Alcoià area, recent history shows that while large quakes can happen, their exact timing, location, and severity remain unpredictable. Educational efforts, such as those at the University of Alicante's European Researchers' Night, aim to demystify earthquakes by demonstrating how seismographs detect movement, how seismic waves travel, and how faults operate.

While most tremors go unnoticed, the province's history underscores the importance of preparedness, as rare, powerful earthquakes are part of Alicante's geological legacy.