A magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck near the city of Granada, in southern Spain, on Monday morning, injuring three people and prompting the evacuation of around 600 residents in the nearby town of Las Gabias. The tremor, centred close to the town of Alhendín at a shallow depth of under 10km, was felt strongly across the wider metropolitan area, with witnesses describing objects falling and widespread alarm. The Alhambra palace — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of medieval Islamic architecture that draws millions of visitors annually — was closed for the afternoon as a precaution, while the city's metro service reduced train speeds to 30km/h for safety reasons; scientists noted the quake is closely linked to a previous tremor of similar magnitude recorded in the same area within recent days, caused by a fault system running beneath the region.