Century’s strongest earthquake jolts Cuba

The strongest earthquake in nearly 150 years has struck Cuba's northwestern coast. As a result, tremors were felt not only in Cuba, but also in Mexico and some parts of Florida in the United States. The magnitude of the earthquake that struck on Monday (June 8) was 6.1.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of the quake was about 104 kilometers west-northwest of the city of Mantua, Cuba. Significant tremors were also felt from the capital Havana. The incident has attracted special attention as tremors were felt in areas where earthquakes are usually rare.

USGS seismologist Paul Earl said Monday's quake was unusual for the Caribbean. The tremors occurred within a tectonic plate, where earthquakes are more scattered and less frequent than those that usually occur along plate boundaries.

Earl said it was not until 1880 that such a strong earthquake struck within a 322-kilometre (200-mile) radius of Monday's quake; That year, a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near San Cristobal, Cuba.

Authorities have not yet reported any major damage or casualties. But the quake has raised concerns in Cuba, where buildings have been severely damaged by decades of economic crisis. Widespread power outages across the region have made communication difficult.

"The quake was very strong," said 44-year-old Yusmila Hernández, sitting at her home in Pinar del Rio, western Cuba. I've never felt anything like this before. Everyone ran out in fear. I can't express it in words. It seemed like there had never been an earthquake like this before.

The USGS said tremors were also felt in Florida. The tremors were also felt in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, the tourist hubs of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. A state of emergency has been declared in the states of Yucatán and Quintana Roo in Mexico. But there were no reports of any casualties, the governors of the two states said on social media.

According to the U.S. National Weather Service, no tsunami warning or surveillance was issued after the quake.

Source: Reuters