Ten die, many injured as Spain rocked by two quakes

Two earthquakes struck southeast Spain in quick succession yesterday, killing at least ten people, injuring dozens and causing major damage to buildings, officials said. It was the highest quake-related death toll in Spain in more than 50 years.

The epicentre of the quakes - with magnitudes of 4.4 and 5.2 - was close to the town of Lorca, and the second came about two hours after the first, an official with the Murcia regional government said.

Dozens of injured people were being treated at the scene and a field hospital was set up in the town of about 85,000 people, officials said. About 270 patients at a hospital in Lorca were being evacuated after the building sustained minor damage.

Large chunks of stone and brick fell from the facade of a church in Lorca as a reporter for Spanish state TV was broadcasting live from the scene. A large church bell was also among the rubble, which barely missed hitting the reporter, who appeared to be about 30ft away when it hit the ground.

Spanish TV showed images of cars that were partially crushed by falling rubble, and large cracks in buildings.

Nervous residents gathered in open public places, talking about what happened and calling relatives and friends on their mobile phones.