Shallow magnitude-6.1 quake described as strongest in the region in nearly 150 years, with no major damage reported.
Image: The Intercept
HAVANA: A powerful earthquake struck off the northwest coast of Cuba on Monday, shaking parts of Mexico and the US state of Florida, according to the US Geological Survey.
The quake was measured at magnitude 6.1 and occurred at a shallow depth of around 26 kilometres, with its epicentre located west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba.
Seismologists said the event was unusual for the region, which rarely experiences strong earthquakes of this type, and noted it occurred within a tectonic plate rather than along major fault boundaries.
Experts said no earthquake of similar strength had struck within a 200-mile radius since the late 19th century.
Tremors were felt across western Cuba, as well as in tourist areas of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancún and Playa del Carmen, where some buildings were briefly evacuated.
Shaking was also reported in parts of Florida, although authorities in all affected regions said there were no immediate reports of major damage or casualties.
Emergency services were briefly placed on alert, but no tsunami warning was issued following the quake.
Residents in Cuba described strong shaking and panic as people rushed outdoors, though official assessments of structural damage are still ongoing.
