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A rare magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off Cuba’s coast, shaking Florida and Mexico. It is the region's strongest interior plate quake since 1880.

MIAMI — A historically rare magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck off the northwestern coast of Cuba on Monday afternoon, triggering widespread shaking across western Cuba, eastern Mexico, and southwestern Florida.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported the unusually strong, shallow temblor occurred at 2:00 p.m. EDT at a depth of 26 kilometers (16 miles). The epicenter was located 104 kilometers (65 miles) west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba, in a part of the Gulf of Mexico not known for significant seismic activity.

The event marks the strongest earthquake within 322 kilometers (200 miles) of the area since 1880, when a magnitude 6.0 quake struck near San Cristobal, Cuba. Seismologists emphasized the rarity of the event because it occurred within a tectonic plate rather than along a boundary, where most earthquakes originate.

“This quake is in a somewhat unusual spot, and it’s pretty large,” said Wendy Bohon, an independent earthquake geologist, noting that no earthquakes above magnitude 5.0 have been recorded within 250 kilometers of the epicenter.

The National Weather Service Miami office confirmed reports of shaking across southwestern Florida, particularly in coastal communities. Warning coordination meteorologist Robert Garcia said there were no immediate reports of structural damage or injuries in South Florida. Officials also confirmed there was no tsunami threat to the Gulf Coast.

Closer to the epicenter, impacts were more intense. In Cuba’s Pinar del Río province, residents fled buildings as the ground shook. Aging infrastructure and prolonged economic strain have left many structures vulnerable, heightening fears of collapse. Ongoing power outages across parts of the region further disrupted communication.

“It felt strong. I had never felt anything like that,” said Yusmila Hernandez, 44, a resident of Pinar del Río. “People ran outside, everyone scared. I can’t even explain it. It felt like no earthquake had ever felt here before.”

Across the Gulf, tremors reached Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. Workers and tourists evacuated buildings in downtown Cancun, a region not accustomed to seismic activity. State officials in Yucatán and Quintana Roo activated emergency protocols but reported no initial casualties or major damage.

Scientists flag unusual tectonic behavior

Much like the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire,” the Caribbean has its own smaller seismic belt, said Susan Hough, a seismologist with the USGS. That boundary system generated major earthquakes such as the catastrophic 2010 Haiti disaster.

However, Hough said Monday’s quake occurred away from that boundary — a rare intraplate event that may require further scientific investigation to understand regional stress patterns better.

The quake also coincided with a separate magnitude 7.8 earthquake off the coast of Mindanao in the Philippines, which has killed at least 32 people. That event occurred in a subduction zone — a tectonic setting capable of producing the most powerful earthquakes on Earth. Scientists said there is no direct connection between the two events.

While Monday’s Gulf earthquake caused no widespread destruction, its strength and unusual location have drawn attention from scientists and emergency officials alike.

Experts say the event underscores a critical reality that even regions considered geologically stable can experience major seismic activity without warning.