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The epicenter of the quake was located about 25 miles (40
kilometers) south of Bartolome Maso, Cuba, according to a report
by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Rumbling was felt across the eastern stretch of Cuba, including
in bigger cities like Santiago de Cuba, as well as Holguin and.
Guantanamo. Local media in Jamaica also reported that the island
felt the tremors.
There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries in
Cuba.
Residents in Santiago, Cuba's second-largest city, were left
shaken on Sunday. Yolanda Tabío, 76, said that people in the
city flocked to the streets and were still nervously sitting in
their doorways. She said that she felt at least two aftershocks
following the quake, but that among friends and family she
hadn't heard of any damages.
“You had to see how everything was moving, the walls,
everything," she told The Associated Press.
Others reported hearing screams, adding that the quake was
strong and stretched on. On social media, residents in the small
town of Pilon reported minor damage, posting photos of crumbling
roofs and cracks on building walls, not uncommon in Cuba where
many structures are older and in need of repair.
The earthquake comes during another tough stretch for Cuba.
On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripped through western
Cuba, with strong winds knocking out power island-wide,
destroying hundreds of homes and forcing evacuations of hundreds
of thousands of people. Days after, much of the island was still
struggling without power.
Weeks before in October, the island was also hit by a one-two
punch. First, it was hit by island-wide blackouts stretching on
for days, a product of the island’s energy crisis. Shortly
after, it was slapped by a powerful hurricane that struck the
eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.
The blackouts and wider discontent among many struggling to get
by has stoked small protests across the island.
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