The United States Geological Survey recorded a Magnitude 5.6 Earthquake at a depth of 10 km, off the Algerian coast, roughly 15 km to the northeast of Algiers, slightly after 5.10 am local time (slightly after 4.10 am GMT) on Friday 1 August 2014. There are no reports of any damage associated with this quake, however it is reported to have caused panic in parts of Algiers, leading to a total of six deaths, four as a result of falls while trying to evacuate buildings, and two as a result of heart attacks.
The approximate location of the 1 August 2014 Algiers Earthquake. Google Maps.
Algeria lies on the northernmost part of the African Plate, while Spain to the north is part of Eurasia. Africa is pushing into Europe from the south, which causes Earthquakes around the Mediterranean Basin. These are most common in southeast Europe, but those in northwest Africa, while less frequent, are often larger and more deadly.
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