The recent magnitude 4.8 earthquake, registered north of Gran Canaria, has reignited interest in seismic activity in the Archipelago. The director of the National Geographic Institute (IGN) in the Canary Islands, Itahiza Domínguez, has described the tremor as "unusual" due to its location, although he does not consider it strange within the seismic history of the Canary Islands.

The tectonic seismic event had its epicenter at sea, approximately 30 kilometers deep, and was felt in various locations across Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and Fuerteventura. Domínguez explained in statements to Radio Televisión Canaria (RTVC) that the initial surprise stems from the focus not being in the typically most active areas, but rather in a less frequent maritime strip. He recalled, however, that moderate movements have occurred in areas considered less active before.

The seismologist summarized the situation with the graphic expression: "There is something there accumulating energy." This energy, accumulated over long periods, can be released sporadically, as happened with last Friday's earthquake. The IGN's primary hypothesis points to regional tectonic dynamics, possibly related to the interaction between the islands' oceanic crust and the African continental crust, although the exact physical focus is not yet precisely known.

The perception of the tremor across three islands is attributed to its magnitude, focal depth, and marine location. Underwater seismic movements transmit widely, with surface intensity depending on factors like distance to the epicenter, terrain type, and building structures. Regarding the possibility of aftershocks, Domínguez did not rule out new movements, even of similar magnitude, which is a plausible scenario following a moderate earthquake.