HAVANA: A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Cuba’s northwest coast on Monday, shaking parts of Cuba, Mexico, and the United States, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The quake occurred at a shallow depth of 26 kilometres and was centred approximately 104 kilometres west-northwest of Mantua in western Cuba, the USGS said. The tremor was felt across a wide area of the Caribbean, including the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico and parts of Florida.
Seismologists said the earthquake was unusual for the region. Paul Earle of the USGS noted that the event occurred within a tectonic plate rather than along a plate boundary, where seismic activity is more common. He added that no earthquake of similar magnitude had struck within 322 kilometres of the epicentre since 1880.
Authorities in Cuba have not reported any confirmed casualties or major structural damage, although concerns remain due to the country’s deteriorating infrastructure and ongoing power shortages, which have complicated communications.
Residents in western Cuba described strong shaking and panic as people rushed into the streets. In Pinar del Río, witnesses reported intense tremors unlike anything previously experienced in the area.
The earthquake was also felt in tourist regions of Mexico, including Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum, where some buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Local authorities in the Mexican states of Yucatán and Quintana Roo activated emergency protocols, though no damage was immediately reported.
The US National Weather Service confirmed that no tsunami warning or advisory was issued following the quake.