The Torrevieja earthquake of 1829.
The earth trembled on Saturday, 21 March 1829 at 6.15 pm, on a 6.6 Richter scale magnitude.
Houses with several floors, with no foundations, which were supported by weak wood beams and located in narrow streets, fell over with their inhabitants inside.
In Torrevieja all houses were knocked down, Guardamar had to be redesigned and Almoradi was the most affected town.
A total of 2,965 houses were destroyed and another 2,396 houses were affected by this earthquake.
There was a total of 386 dead victims and 375 injured.
Every year in Almoradi, its inhabitants accompany the saint called San Emigdio, who’s the patron saint for earthquakes, and pray to the memory of all victims.
The 1829 Torrevieja earthquake remains so deeply rooted in the Vega Baja’s people minds that, when the 3.6 magnitude earthquake of August 2008 took place, the Council received dozens of requests to take out San Emigdio to the street, and he was accompanied by a thousand people of the whole region.
