Russian Strikes Kill 3 Near Ukraine’s Kharkiv

A significant earthquake registered at a magnitude of 6.1 struck near western Cuba on Monday afternoon, causing buildings to shake in Havana and extending as far north as Orlando, Florida. Despite the tremor's intensity and reach, no injuries or damage have been reported thus far.

“

Everyone here is OK. The people on the street are a little bit scared.

The earthquake's epicenter was located about 26 kilometers (16 miles) deep in waters just west of Cuba's capital, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Residents in western Cuba, like Flavia Pupo, a hotel manager in Pinar del Rio, described the unsettling experience of their buildings shaking, which caused some initial fear among the populace.

“

I have a little pendant dangling in my desk, and it was moving. That’s why I realized that it’s actually not me or my chair or anything.

In Florida, shaking was felt across the southwestern part of the state, with reports indicating tremors were felt even north of Orlando. Maria Moncayo, working in downtown Fort Lauderdale, described a vibrating sensation that lasted about a minute, initially mistaking it for nearby construction. Having experienced a powerful earthquake in Ecuador previously, she noted the unsettling familiarity of the sensation, though she quickly realized this tremor was minor.

“

Since I moved here, it kind of left my mind, but when I felt my desk moving, I thought it was going to be like Ecuador. It kind of gave me flashbacks, but then I realized that it’s not bad, it’s just a little one.

As a precautionary measure, Miami-Dade County officials ordered the evacuation of several buildings, including their main government office tower. Service for two elevated commuter train lines in downtown Miami was also temporarily suspended. Geologists described the event as extremely rare, noting it was the largest earthquake ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico using modern instruments dating back to the 1950s. While aftershocks are possible in western Cuba, they are unlikely to be felt significantly in Florida.

“

It’s the largest earthquake ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico with modern instruments, which date to the 1950s.