Strong Earthquakes Worsen the Crisis in Eastern Cuba

On the morning of Sunday, November 10, 2024, a pair of high-intensity earthquakes shook the southern part of eastern Cuba. The tremors were recorded by the National Center for Seismological Research (Cenais) and the United States Geological Survey.

The first quake, with a magnitude of 6.0 on the Richter scale, occurred around 10:50 a.m., 35 kilometers from the municipality of Bartolome Maso in Granma. An hour later, at 11:49 a.m., a second tremor, more intense than the previous one —6.7 magnitude— occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers below the sea. The tremors were felt throughout the eastern zone, with reports of people experiencing it even in the central part of the country.

So far, the municipality of Pilon in Granma appears to be the most affected. On social media, local authorities and residents have posted photos of damages and partial collapses of houses and public buildings, as well as fallen electrical poles and landslides. Damage has also been reported in Niquero, Media Luna, Campechuela, Providencia, and Santo Domingo. Several infrastructures in Santiago de Cuba also sustained damage.

Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the Cenais’ Seismological Service, stated that a tsunami was unlikely to form in the area.

Just a few days ago, the western part of the country endured the impact of Hurricane Rafael, a Category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale, which caused severe damage in Havana and Artemisa. Four days later, recovery efforts in those areas are still ongoing. Additionally, Cuba is experiencing its second national blackout in less than a month. On October 21, 2024, another weather phenomenon (Hurricane Oscar) struck eastern Cuba, causing significant destruction and loss of life.

This article was translated into English from the original in Spanish.