Quake worst to hit Spain in decades

Lorca, Spain (CNN) -- Residents on Thursday surveyed damage and tried to take in what is being called the worst earthquake to hit Spain in 30 years.

Nine people were killed and nearly 300 injured by Wednesday's quake, the state-run EFE news agency reported. The hardest-hit area may have been the southeastern Spanish city of Lorca, where debris was visible on several streets.

The 5.1-magnitude quake occurred at 6:47 p.m. (12:47 p.m. ET) Wednesday and was centered about 50 kilometers (31 miles) southwest of Murcia, near the Mediterranean coast, the U.S. Geological Survey said. That is about 350 kilometers (218 miles) south-southeast of Madrid.

It was preceded at 5:05 p.m. by a 4.5-magnitude temblor centered in the same area, the survey said.

The latest death reported was that of a 41-year-old woman who suffered from head injuries, EFE reported. She died at a nearby hospital. Of the injured, three are in serious condition, including a 73-year-old woman, the agency said. The other seriously injured are a 3-year-old boy and a 36-year-old woman.

In Lorca, 80% of the homes suffered some kind of damage, said the president of the Murcia region, where Lorca is located. Ramon Luis Valcarcel visited the damaged area Thursday.

Television pictures showed the belfry of an old church collapsing soon after the earthquake, as well as fallen bricks on top of damaged cars. Buildings with broken windows and piles of rubble in the streets of Lorca could also be seen.

The press office said a hospital in Lorca was evacuated as a precaution.

Thousands spent the night outside because, they said, they were afraid to return to their houses or had been advised not to do so, state radio said.

The quake occurred during an election campaign for Spain's 8,000 town mayors and most of its regional governments, with voting scheduled for May 22. The two major parties called for a suspension of campaigning on Thursday out of respect for the victims.

CNN's Al Goodman and Juan Munoz contributed to this story.