An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.8 struck off the coast of eastern Cuba on Sunday, causing material damage in several regions. This event comes as the island continues to recover from widespread blackouts and the impact of two recent hurricanes.
The earthquake was reported about 39 km (24 miles) south of Bartolomé Masó before noon local time. Just an hour earlier, a 5.9 magnitude quake had rocked the area, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel stated that there have been landslides, damage to homes, and power lines. Authorities are currently evaluating the situation to initiate recovery efforts. Pictures from Granma Province show buildings with cracks on the walls and debris scattered on the ground.
The municipality of Pilón has suffered significant damage, as reported by Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service of Cuba. Residents in eastern Cuba described the tremor as one of the most powerful they have ever felt.
The earthquake was also felt in the eastern provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, and Guantánamo, where Hurricane Oscar had struck last month. Another storm, Hurricane Rafael, hit western Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, causing a major blackout across the island.
Although Sunday's earthquake did not pose a significant tsunami threat, the US National Tsunami Warning Center mentioned a small possibility of tsunami waves along coasts nearest the epicenter. While the quake was not felt in the capital Havana, shockwaves reached southern Florida, with footage on social media showing swaying ceiling lights from a tower in Miami.
