An earthquake of the magnitude of 3.1 hit Torrevieja and the surrounding areas just prior to midnight on March 23.

“The first data on the earthquake that occurred at 11.48pm, the IGN calculates that it has been of magnitude 3.0, with an epicentre just over 10km from the coast of Torrevieja and Guardamar del Segura, very close to the earthquake.

“This has been widely felt by the population, but we still have no evidence of personal or material damage,” said a spokesperson from Proyecto Mastral el Tiempo Torrevieja.

A plethora of people who heard and felt the earthquake were concerned about the tremor, including Los Altos, Guardamar, San Miguel, La Mata, Formentera and the Orihuela Costa.

“It felt very good in Orihuela Costa, even the dog got scared,” said Toni Heredia Cortes Sandro Marchili.

Julie Anne McCabe from Playa del Cura, said: “We felt it – it was the first time I have experienced an earthquake and it was very scary.”

Paqui Fernàndez Martinez from San Miguel said: “In San Miguel, Salinas, I noticed it a lot.

“The window panes made a lot of noise, thank goodness it didn’t last long.”

The latest earthquake to occur came on the back of earthquakes registered off the coast of Torrevieja.

The first was of a magnitude of 2.3; another with a magnitude of 1.5, with the latest widely felt and registered with a magnitude of 3.0.

“These types of movements are common in this area and, although there have been many in a row, it is still too early to classify it as a seismic swarm off our coast,” said a spokesperson from Proyecto Mastral el Tiempo Torrevieja.

This latest earthquake occurred just 2 days after events commemorating the anniversary of the 1829 Torrevieja Earthquake in the town, which took place on 21 March 1829 with an estimated magnitude of 6.6, killing 386 people, with 2,965 houses totally destroyed.