6.1 earthquake off Cuba shakes Florida and parts of Mexico
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the coast of Cuba on Monday and was felt across parts of Florida and Mexico. The tremor was reported in the afternoon and was centred about 65 miles north-west of Mantua, Cuba, according to the US Geological Survey. It was also described as the strongest tremor in the region in nearly 150 years.
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The quake had a depth of 16 miles, the US Geological Survey said. No injuries, deaths or major property damage were reported in the immediate aftermath. In Florida, residents in places including Tampa Bay, Ruskin and St Petersburg reported shaking in homes and apartments, despite the state not being accustomed to earthquakes.
In Mexico, the shaking was felt in Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Authorities in Yucatán and Quintana Roo put precautionary emergency measures in place across public areas, and evacuations were reported in Cancún. The US Tsunami Warning Center said there was no tsunami danger for the US east coast.
The event matters because it affected a wide area across the Caribbean and the Gulf region, including places where earthquakes are uncommon. That made the shaking notable even though the immediate damage reports were limited. It also prompted precautionary responses in coastal areas that are sensitive to both seismic activity and tsunami warnings.
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The US Geological Survey's description of the quake as the strongest in the region in nearly 150 years underlines its significance. The location offshore of western Cuba meant the tremor was felt beyond the island itself, including in the US state of Florida and parts of Mexico. The cross-border reach of the shaking is likely to keep attention on seismic monitoring and emergency preparedness in the region.
What remains unclear is whether any delayed damage reports will emerge from Cuba, Florida or Mexico after initial checks. It is also not yet clear whether any aftershocks will follow or whether further official assessments will change the current picture. For now, authorities appear to be treating the incident as a significant but contained seismic event.
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