Moment airport's roof collapses after huge tremor in 'real scare'

A powerful 5.3-magnitude earthquake struck southern Spain early Monday morning, triggering panic and causing structural damage in several areas, just hours after parts of the country were already battling destructive flash floods and torrential rains. The quake, recorded by Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN), hit at 7:13am local time off the coast of Cabo de Gata in Almería, a region popular with tourists and home to the largest protected coastal area in Andalusia.

It reached a moderate-to-strong intensity of IV-V on the European Macroseismic Scale and was followed by at least 18 aftershocks, the strongest of which measured 3.4 in magnitude. The tremor was felt across hundreds of towns in Andalusia and the Levante region, shaking homes and prompting widespread alarm.

Among the most dramatic scenes was the partial collapse of a roof at Almería Airport. According to eyewitness reports, the structure gave way suddenly as workers were starting their shifts.

"We heard some noises one after the other and then a loud bang.

"A great cloud of dust appeared," one airport employee told local media. "It was a real scare for us. There were people just having their first coffee of the day. Luckily, no one was injured."

Additional damage was reported in Huércal de Almería, where a Toyota showroom's ceiling collapsed, leaving the area cordoned off. Footage shared on Spanish news outlets showed debris scattered across the floor and parts of the ceiling hanging dangerously low.

Cities such as Granada, Malaga, Jaén, Murcia, Alicante, and Albacete also reported tremors, though no casualties have been confirmed.

The quake came on the heels of a weekend of extreme weather in the country. Northeastern Spain was hammered by violent storms and flash flooding, with emergency evacuations underway in several regions.

In Catalonia, 71 patients were moved from a flooded hospital near Barcelona, while in Cubelles, authorities launched a major search operation after a woman and child were reportedly swept into the Foix River.

Spain's meteorological agency AEMET continues to monitor the situation as severe weather warnings remain in place for parts of the country.

The dual blow of flood and quake has left many areas grappling with damage and disruption and residents bracing for further updates.