A powerful earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday morning, reaching a magnitude of 6.0. This seismic event has set a new record for the year, marking the strongest quake of 2024 to date. According to the Cuban National Seismological Service, the tremor was detected at 10:50 a.m. local time, with its epicenter located at 19.75 degrees north latitude and -76.91 degrees west longitude, at a depth of 10 kilometers, approximately 48 kilometers southeast of Pilón, in the province of Granma.
Ana María Vázquez Villavicencio, a specialist in Information and Communication at the National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS), shared the details of the quake on social media. The institution reported that this is the 13th notable earthquake of 2024. "Reports of the quake's perceptibility have been received from the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, Granma, Holguín, and Ciego de Ávila. As of now, no material or human damages have been reported," stated the CENAIS communiqué.
Noteworthy Seismic Events in 2024
The year 2024 has seen several perceptible seismic activities in Cuba, predominantly in the eastern part of the country:
- March 23: A 3.8 magnitude quake was felt in Caimanera, Guantánamo, and various locations in Santiago de Cuba.
- April 17: A 3.4 magnitude earthquake was sensed in Caimanera and Santiago de Cuba.
- April 25: Two tremors with magnitudes of 2.8 and 3.1 hit the municipality of Sibanicú, Camagüey.
- May 8: Seismic activity was reported in Holguín and Matanzas, with a 3.0 magnitude near Moa and a 2.9 tremor in Santa Marta and Varadero, followed by 2.8 replicas.
- June 10: A 4.3 magnitude quake shook Santiago de Cuba, also felt in Guantánamo, Granma, and Holguín.
- August 17: A 4.1 magnitude tremor occurred southwest of Niceto Pérez and southeast of Santiago de Cuba.
- September 7: A 4.1 magnitude quake was noted in Santiago de Cuba, triggering over 530 aftershocks along the Oriente fault.
- October 17: A 5.1 magnitude earthquake was experienced in Santiago de Cuba, Guantánamo, and Granma.
Analysis and Context
According to VolcanoDiscovery, led by volcanologist Tom Pfeiffer, the recent 6.0 magnitude earthquake near Bartolomé Maso, Granma, was confirmed by both the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) and the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ). The earthquake occurred at a depth of 17 kilometers, closer to the surface than many others, potentially increasing its perceptibility. Pfeiffer highlighted that the precise magnitude and epicenter could be revised as additional data is evaluated.
Cuba concluded 2023 with 14 perceptible earthquakes. As reported by CENAIS, a total of 7,475 seismic events were recorded across the island, with 14 being noticeable. The Oriente fault, a key seismic zone in the southern part of the eastern region, accounted for the majority of these events. Additionally, the northern area of Las Tunas and the southern locale of Moa experienced significant seismic activity, including three earthquake swarms with approximately 500 events each, though with magnitudes below four.
In March, CENAIS released a map plotting the epicenters of earthquakes recorded by the Cuban seismological network from January 1998 to February 2024. The map highlights areas with a high probability of seismic activity, underscoring the importance of continuous monitoring, as even low-magnitude quakes can lead to structural fractures over time, posing more serious threats.