Cuba Shaken by 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake: Maps

Two strong quakes struck off the southern coast of Cuba on Sunday, damaging homes near the coast, officials said.

The larger, 6.8-magnitude quake happened at 11:49 a.m. Cuba time about 24 miles south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba, data from the United States Geological Survey shows. It shook the island about an hour after a quake in the same area with a magnitude of 5.9.

The quakes damaged homes and powerlines and caused landslides in the coastal provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Granma, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez said on X. He urged people in those areas to stay outside in open spaces. “The first and most essential thing is to save lives,” Mr. Díaz-Canel said.

Authorities in Granma province said the shaking partially collapsed homes and government buildings, cracked walls and damaged staircases. Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the first secretary of the Communist Party there, told state media that no deaths or injuries had been reported.

People at the U.S. Navy base at Guantánamo Bay felt at least three tremors or temblors on Sunday morning. No injuries or damage were reported.

As seismologists review available data, they may revise the earthquakes’ reported magnitudes. Additional information collected may also prompt U.S.G.S. scientists to update the shake-severity maps.

Aftershocks in the region

An aftershock is usually a smaller earthquake that follows a larger one in the same general area. Aftershocks are typically minor adjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the initial earthquake.

Aftershocks can occur days, weeks or even years after the first earthquake. These events can be of equal or larger magnitude to the initial earthquake, and they can continue to affect already damaged locations.

Carol Rosenberg reported from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Frances Robles contributed reporting.