LORCA, Spain — Thousands of Spaniards fled this small agricultural city Thursday, fearing major aftershocks might level it after the country’s deadliest earthquakes in 55 years killed nine people and caused extensive damage.
Lorca was transformed into a ghost town, with a steady stream of cars carrying many of its 90,000 residents to nearby cities and towns to stay with relatives. Stores, restaurants, and schools were closed as the sirens of police vehicles and ambulances filled the air and helicopters hovered overhead.
Only a few buildings were destroyed, but the quakes with magnitudes of 4.5 and 5.1, according to figures updated Thursday evening by Spain’s National Geographic Institute, sent brick building facades and parts of terraces plunging into the streets and caused damage to hundreds of apartment buildings. While some people couldn’t stay home, many others didn’t want to stay inside for fear of aftershocks.
The Spanish institute said the second, larger quake was followed by 37 aftershocks lasting through Thursday morning. The largest was about half an hour after midnight and measured 3.9.