Earthquake of magnitude 6.1 strikes off Cuba, shaking Havana and western regions

A strong earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck off the coast of western Cuba on Monday with tremors being felt across Florida in Miami and Orlando. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), tremors struck in waters off Cuba's western tip at a depth of about 10 kilometres. Its epicentre was located about 104 kilometres west-northwest of Mantua.The German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) reported the tremor at a magnitude of 6.0 and also placed its depth at 10 kilometres. According to primary reports, the shaking that lasted for 20 seconds in Havana and across the island's west prompted residents onto the streets. No immediate injuries or damage were reported.The tremor was widely felt across western Cuba. According to the Cuban authorities, the earthquake was felt "throughout the entire west of the country", news agency AFP reported.Residents described moments of confusion and alarm as the shaking began."At first I just felt dizzy -- it didn't occur to me it was an earthquake, I'd never experienced that before," Carmel Delgado, a 47-year-old economist, "But once we realized what it could be, we got out quickly."Flavia Pupo, a manager at the Pinar del Río hotel in Pinar del Río province, said the building shook and frightened some people. “Everyone here is OK,” she said by telephone, “The people on the street are a little bit scared.”The earthquake was also felt beyond Cuba. The US National Weather Service office in Miami said it received several reports of shaking in south-western Florida following the tremor.Despite the strength of the quake, authorities reported no immediate casualties or significant damage. The US National Weather Service said no tsunami warning or watch had been issued.Cuba lies in a seismically active region. The Oriente fault zone, located off the country's south-eastern coast, has produced several damaging earthquakes over the centuries. In January 2020, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck offshore between Cuba and the Cayman Islands, causing damage in both territories.The latest tremors also come after a magnitude 8.1 earthquake caused widespread damage and distruction in Philippines on Monday with 69 people being reported dead.