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By Adeola Adeosun
Weekend Night Editor
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A powerful 6.8 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Cuba on Sunday, rattling an island nation already reeling from recent hurricanes and widespread power outages that have pushed many residents to their breaking point.
The earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 25 miles (40 kilometers) south of Bartolome Maso, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The tremors reverberated across Cuba's eastern region, affecting major population centers, including Santiago de Cuba, the country's second-largest city, Holguin, and Guantanamo. Local media reported that the seismic activity was strong enough to be felt in neighboring Jamaica.
While no major injuries or significant structural damage were immediately reported, the earthquake sent anxious residents fleeing into the streets.
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In the small town of Pilon, residents shared social media images showing minor structural damage, including cracked walls and crumbling roofs—issues that are particularly concerning given Cuba's aging infrastructure, much of which requires substantial repairs.
The earthquake comes at a particularly challenging time for Cuba. Just days earlier, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael devastated the western portion of the island, forcing hundreds of thousands of residents to evacuate and leaving much of the country without power. The destruction was extensive, with hundreds of homes destroyed and widespread power outages continuing days after the storm's passage.
Satellite imagery from NASA's Earth Observatory captured Rafael's path as it made landfall. Initial data showed the storm approaching Cuba from the south, having moved past Jamaica as a tropical storm before encountering conditions that enabled it to strengthen into a hurricane.
At landfall Wednesday, Rafael brought sustained winds of approximately 115 miles per hour, though it temporarily weakened to Category 2 status with winds of 105 miles per hour while moving over land.
The compound crises have left Cuba struggling to recover. In October, the island endured prolonged nationwide blackouts stemming from an ongoing energy crisis, followed by another powerful hurricane that struck the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.
The succession of natural disasters has exacerbated existing infrastructure challenges and led to growing public discontent, manifesting in small protests across the island.
The timing of Sunday's earthquake has heightened concerns about Cuba's ability to manage multiple simultaneous disasters. While Rafael has since moved into the Gulf of Mexico and regained Category 3 strength with 120 mile-per-hour winds, Cuba continues to grapple with its aftermath.
According to the National Hurricane Center, Rafael's hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles from its center, while tropical-storm-force winds reach up to 115 miles outward.
The series of disasters has put unprecedented strain on Cuba's infrastructure and emergency response capabilities. The combination of recurring hurricanes, persistent blackouts, and now a significant earthquake has left many communities struggling to rebuild. The damage assessment from the earthquake is still ongoing, complicated by the existing challenges of hurricane recovery and power restoration efforts across the island.
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Rafael marks the 17th named storm and 11th hurricane of the 2024 season, which runs through November 30—significantly exceeding the average seasonal totals of 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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