Social media reports reveal that the Cabo Cruz Lighthouse, located in the municipality of Niquero, Granma, sustained damage following noticeable earthquakes that shook eastern Cuba on Sunday morning. Photos shared across several Facebook groups show a small crack in the structure and the detachment of some materials.
The Cabo Cruz Lighthouse, also known as Faro Vargas, stands at the southern tip of Cabo Cruz. It reaches a height of 32 meters (105 feet) with a focal height of 34 meters (112 feet), emitting a white flash every five seconds. Construction began in 1862 under the civil governorship of Carlos de Vargas in the Oriental department and was completed in 1871 during Spain’s rule over Cuba.
Additional damages reported in Niquero, which have alarmed the southern population of eastern Cuba, include the collapse of a roof and cracks in the walls at the Logía Macana. Photographs show the zinc roof gave way due to the seismic force. Similarly, in the Tierra Arriba village, an OFICODA facility experienced wall separations caused by the tremors.
The first earthquake, with a magnitude of 6.0, struck at 10:50 am on Sunday, centered 48 kilometers southeast of Pilón, Granma province. A subsequent aftershock at 12:49 pm registered a magnitude of 6.7 on the Richter scale, surpassing the initial quake.
Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, a scientist and head of the National Seismology Service at Cuba's National Seismological Research Center (CENAIS), warned on social media that the situation remains quite serious.