A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after that weeks of storms and power outages which left many on the island stunned.
The epicenter was located about 25 miles south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba, according to the United States Geological Survey.
Thunder was felt in the eastern part of Cuba, including in major cities such as Santiago de Cuba. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries.
Residents of Santiago, Cuba’s second largest city, were left in shock on Sunday.
Yolanda Tabío, 76, said the townspeople flocked to the streets and were still sitting in their doorways in fear. He said he felt tremors at least twice after the earthquake, but said that among friends and family he had not heard of any damage.
“You should have seen how everything moves, the walls, everything,” he told the Associated Press.
Ariel Ley / AP
The earthquake comes at another difficult time for Cuba.
On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael hit western Cuba, with strong winds knocking out power across the island, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people. A few days later, much of the island was still struggling without power.
A few weeks before October, the island was again hit with a one-two punch. First, it was hit by an island-wide blackout that lasted for days, a product of the island’s power crisis. Soon after, it was hit by a strong typhoon that hit the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.
Blackouts and widespread discontent among many struggling to get by have sparked small protests across the island.
Source link
