HAVANA — A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook jap Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts which have left many on the island reeling.
The epicenter of the quake was situated roughly 25 miles (40 km) south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba, in response to a report by the United States Geological Survey.
The rumbling was felt throughout the jap stretch of Cuba, together with in greater cities like Santiago de Cuba. There have been no fast stories of injury or accidents.
Residents in Santiago, Cuba’s second largest metropolis, have been left shaken on Sunday. Yolanda Tabío, 76, stated individuals within the metropolis flocked to the streets and have been nonetheless nervously sitting of their doorways. She stated she felt a minimum of two aftershocks following the quake, however that amongst family and friends she hadn’t heard of any damages.
“You needed to see how all the things was shifting, the partitions, all the things,” she informed The Associated Press.
The earthquake comes throughout one other robust stretch for Cuba.
On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripped via western Cuba, with sturdy winds knocking out energy island-wide, destroying tons of of houses and forcing evacuations of tons of of hundreds of individuals. Days after, a lot of the island was nonetheless struggling with out energy.
Weeks earlier than in October, the island was additionally hit by a one-two punch. First, it was hit by island-wide blackouts stretching on for days, a product of the island’s vitality disaster. Shortly after, it was slapped by a strong hurricane that struck the jap a part of the island and killed a minimum of six individuals.
The blackouts and wider discontent amongst many struggling to get by has stoked small protests throughout the island.