6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off the Coast of Eastern Cuba

6.8 Magnitude Earthquake Strikes Off Eastern Cuba’s Coast, Causing Damage Amid Recovery from Hurricanes.

A powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of eastern Cuba on Sunday, causing significant material damage across several regions. The island continues to recover from widespread blackouts and the devastation of two recent hurricanes.

The earthquake, centered about 39 km (24 miles) south of Bartolomé Masó, occurred just an hour after a 5.9 magnitude quake had already rocked the area, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel confirmed that the earthquake caused landslides, power line damage, and destruction to homes, with authorities currently assessing the situation to begin recovery efforts.

Images from Granma Province, published by state-run Cubadebate, showed buildings with cracked walls and debris scattered across the streets. The municipality of Pilón, in particular, reported extensive damage, as stated by Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of Cuba’s National Seismological Service. He noted on Facebook that communication was severely disrupted due to the quake’s aftermath, calling the situation “complicated.”

Residents of eastern Cuba described the tremor as one of the strongest they had ever felt. “Strong as ever. In other occasions, we’ve felt the earthquake but not as strong as now,” said Griselda Fernandez.

The earthquake was also felt in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, and Guantánamo, areas still recovering from the impact of Hurricane Oscar last month. Adding to the island’s challenges, Hurricane Rafael had earlier caused a massive power outage in western Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 3 storm.

While the earthquake did not trigger a significant tsunami threat, the US National Tsunami Warning Center warned of a “very small possibility” of tsunami waves along coasts near the epicenter. The tremor was not felt in Havana, but shockwaves reached southern Florida, with videos on social media showing swaying ceiling lights in Miami.