A magnitude 3.4 earthquake was recorded during the early hours of Thursday, 20 August, as the seismic series that began last week continues.

Spain's National Geographic Institute (IGN) has been monitoring the activity, which has been concentrated around Granada city and several nearby municipalities.

The latest earthquakes follow two stronger tremors of magnitude 4.8 recorded on 14 and 18 August.

Since the seismic activity began, more than 600 earthquakes and aftershocks have been registered in the area, although many have been too weak to be felt by residents.

The earthquakes have been relatively shallow, which means that even some of the smaller tremors can be clearly felt close to their epicentres.

The continued activity has caused concern among residents, with some choosing to spend the night outside their homes or temporarily leave the area because of fears of further earthquakes.

Around 600 people have been evacuated from buildings while safety checks are carried out, Reuters reports.

Authorities have also been inspecting hundreds of properties following damage caused by the stronger earthquakes earlier this week.

El País reports that more than 580 buildings have been inspected, with 14 requiring urgent safety measures.

Damage reported across the affected area has included cracks in buildings, fallen sections of façades and other debris. Vehicles and streets have also been affected in some locations.

Three people suffered minor injuries following the stronger earthquakes on Tuesday, including a child who was taken to hospital, Reuters reported at the time.

The seismic activity has also disrupted normal life in Granada. Public buildings, museums and sports facilities were temporarily closed as a precaution, while the city's metro reduced the speed of its trains.

The Alhambra, one of Spain's most visited tourist attractions, was also affected by precautionary restrictions. The site has since reopened, with additional safety measures in place.

EFE (Spain's national news agency) reports that authorities continue to follow the latest seismic activity closely as further earthquakes are recorded.

Granada is located in one of the most seismically active parts of the Iberian Peninsula. Scientists link this to the complex interaction between the African and Eurasian tectonic plates and the network of faults running through the region.

Experts have stressed that it is not possible to predict exactly when another earthquake will occur or how strong it could be.

The current activity is also not unprecedented. Granada experienced another prolonged seismic series in 2020 and 2021, when hundreds of earthquakes were recorded around the metropolitan area.

For now, IGN continues to monitor the latest series and update its earthquake records as new tremors occur.