Strongest recorded Gulf earthquake shakes Florida, Cuba and Mexico

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck beneath the Gulf off western Cuba, shaking parts of Florida, Cuba and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). It was the strongest earthquake instrumentally recorded in the region, based on records dating back to 1950.

The earthquake struck at 10:38 a.m. ET on Monday and was centered about 105 kilometers (65 miles) west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba, according to the USGS. It struck at a depth of 26 kilometers (16 miles).

Nearly 5,000 felt reports were submitted to the USGS from across the region, including the Miami area, Cape Coral, Tampa, Orlando, Melbourne and as far north as Jacksonville, Florida. Reports were also submitted from Havana and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun and Merida.

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Miami said shaking was felt across much of Florida after the earthquake, but no tsunami threat was expected. The NWS office in Jacksonville said it had received multiple reports of shaking and tremors as far north as the Jacksonville area.

Miami authorities said seismic activity was felt in several areas throughout the city, leading to multiple calls for service. “At this time, no significant injuries or major property damage have been reported,” the city said, adding that all calls were handled without further issue.

Miami-Dade County Hall was evacuated after reports that the building was shaking, according to an internal evacuation notice. Floor wardens were told to clear their floors and have everyone exit in an orderly fashion.

In Havana, CNN International Correspondent Patrick Oppmann said he felt the earthquake from a sixth-floor building. “Feeling a small earthquake shake Havana at the moment as sometimes happens here very occasionally,” he said.

The earthquake was also noticeably felt in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, where earthquakes are also uncommon. Buildings and hotels were evacuated in Cancun, a major tourist destination on Mexico’s Caribbean coast, and there were reports of minor damage, including cracks at a shopping mall.

The USGS said the earthquake occurred as a result of reverse faulting at a shallow depth beneath the Gulf of America, also known as the Gulf of Mexico, within the North America plate. It was an intraplate earthquake, meaning it happened inside a tectonic plate rather than along an active plate boundary.

The agency said it was the largest instrumentally recorded earthquake in the Gulf, based on records dating back to 1950, and one of only six magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes to occur within the region since then.