magnitude 5.3 earthquake has toppled several buildings in southern Spain, near the town of Lorca, killing at least seven people

magnitude 5.3 earthquake has toppled several buildings in southern Spain, near the town of Lorca, killing at least seven people, officials say.

The quake struck at a depth of just 1km (0.6 miles), some 120km south-west of Alicante, at 1850 (1650 GMT), the US Geological Survey reported.

TV shots showed rescue workers rushing through debris-littered streets.

Old buildings were badly damaged by the quake, which followed a smaller 4.4-magnitude one about two hours earlier.

It is not clear how many people were injured, although Spanish media say there are many.

Spanish TV captured dramatic images of a church bell tower crashing to the ground, landing just metres from the cameraman.


Shocked residents and workers rushed out of buildings and have gathered in squares, parks and open spaces.

The earthquakes were felt over a wide area.

"Unfortunately, we can confirm... deaths due to cave-ins and falling debris," Lorca Mayor Francisco Jodar told radio station Ser.

"We are trying to find out if there are people inside the collapsed houses," he added.

Spain's Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has deployed emergency military units to the scene, the Spanish EFE news agency reported.

Mr Zapatero was in a meeting with Spanish King Juan Carlos when he was informed of the quake, the premier's office said in a statement.

The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Madrid says the quake is the most serious to hit Spain in 50 years.

Spain has hundreds of earthquakes every year but most of these are too small to be noticed. Murcia is the country's most seismically active area and suffered tremors in 2005 and 1999.

A number of aftershocks have been felt in the region after Wednesday's quake, and authorities fear the death toll could rise.

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