Cuba Shaken by 6.8 Magnitude Earthquake: Maps
Two powerful earthquakes struck off the southern coast of Cuba on Sunday, destroying homes along the coast, officials said.
The larger, 6.8-magnitude earthquake occurred at 11:49 a.m. Cuban time about 24 miles south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba, data from the United States Geological Survey shows. The island was shaken about an hour after an earthquake in the same area with a magnitude of 5.9.
This earthquake destroyed houses and power lines and caused landslides in the coastal provinces of Santiago de Cuba and Granma, said Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez in X. He urged people in those areas to stay outside in open areas. “The first and most important thing is to save lives,” said Mr. Díaz-Canel.
Authorities in Granma province said the quake had partially destroyed homes and government buildings, with walls and damaged staircases collapsing. Yudelkis Ortiz Barceló, the first secretary of the Communist Party there, told reporters that no deaths or injuries had been reported.
People at the US military base in Guantánamo Bay felt at least three tremors or tremors on Sunday morning. No injuries or damages were reported.
As seismologists review the available information, they may revise the reported magnitude of the earthquake. More information gathered may prompt USGS scientists to update the shake intensity maps.
After the earthquake in the region
Aftershocks are usually smaller earthquakes that follow a larger one in the same area. Aftershocks are usually minor corrections to the part of the fault that slipped during the initial earthquake.
Aftershocks can occur days, weeks or even years after the first earthquake. These events can be of equal or greater magnitude to the first earthquake, and can continue to affect areas that have already been damaged.
Carol Rosenberg reported from Guantánamo Bay, Cuba. Frances Robles contributed reporting.
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