Andalusia earthquake: Region loved by Brits hit by tremor - 'never been more scared'

Andalusia is a region in Spain popular with tourists (Image: GETTY)

Residents in Andalusia were sent emergency alerts after the Spanish region was hit by an earthquake.

The National Geographic Institute (IGN) reported that the tremor, with a magnitude of 4.1, had its epicentre in the town of Cazalla de la Sierra in Seville.

The tremor and the smaller aftershocks that followed were felt across nearly 200 towns spanning the provinces of Seville, Huelva, Cordoba, and Badajoz, the Mirror reports. 

The 4.1-magnitude earthquake struck around 3.30am local time (2.30am GMT) on Thursday, originating from a depth of 10 km. Adrian Torres, the mayor of Cazalla de la Sierra, said that the quake "was felt quite strongly" within the town.

Andalusia is renowned for its popular holiday destinations, including Seville, Malaga, Grenada and Cadiz. 

Seville is one of the main cities in Andalusia (Image: GETTY)

E Mendoza, a resident of Constantina, described the terrifying experience to Spanish news outlet ABC: "It was exactly 3.29 in the morning when everything started to shake. We woke up with the tremors and the noise—it was like a washing machine. It lasted for almost a minute. It was a tremendous scare."

He added: "Immediately, an alarm came on the mobile phone, informing us of the earthquake, its magnitude, location and advice on what to do in the event of an earthquake.

"Of course, the WhatsApp groups immediately started to smoke. Everyone had woken up and was checking that family and friends were okay. I have never been more scared in my life." 

Another resident also spoke about the terrifying experience, telling the Spanish publication: "Everything was shaking, even the windows. The feeling of confusion was great, especially because it catches you in the middle of your sleep."

A flurry of calls were received by the 112 Andalusia emergency service as the sudden shake hit the region popular with holidaymakers.

While large tremors are not common in Andalusia, the area is occasionally struck by small earthquakes due to its vicinity to tectonically active zones. 

The region's vulnerability to seismic activity is heightened by its closeness to the Gibraltar Belt and various fault lines.