10 Killed by Devastating Earthquake in Spain

Tons of rubble from collapsed buildings are seen in Lorca, Spain after a devastating earthquake hit the area. Photo by BGNES

At least 10 people were killed after an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.2 points on the Richter scale hit southern Spain in the vicinity of the town of Lorca.

Several buildings have collapsed, old buildings are badly damaged, and scores of cars were crushed under tons of rubble. A hospital has been evacuated as a precaution, according to Spanish official reports.

Panicked residents and workers rushed out of buildings and gathered in squares, parks and open spaces with many spending the night outside. BBC reports doctors volunteered to threat the injured on the scene since ambulances could not reach them with the entire downtown of Lorca being badly damaged.

The quake struck at a depth of just 1km (0.6 miles), some 120km south-west of Alicante, at 6:47 pm local time. The quake followed a 4.4-magnitude shock, occurring about two hours earlier.

Spanish media say there are dozens of injured, but their exact number remains unclear.

Spanish TV aired dramatic images of a church bell tower crashing to the ground, landing just meters from a cameraman.

The earthquakes were felt over a wide area with a number of aftershocks. Authorities fear the death toll could rise.

Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has deployed emergency military units to the scene, the Spanish news agency Efe reports.

Zapatero was in a meeting with Spanish King Juan Carlos when he was informed of the quake, the PM's press office said in a statement.

Spain is close to the large faultline under the Mediterranean Sea where the European and African continents meet and has hundreds of earthquakes every year, but most of them are light and unnoticed.

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