Earthquakes rattle Cuba, Iran within hours of one another

HAVANA: Cuba and Iran were rattled by separate earthquakes within hours of one another, coming just a day after a major seismic event claimed dozens of lives in the Philippines.

A historically powerful earthquake struck off the northwestern coast of Cuba on Monday, according to official reports. The tremor jolted regions across Cuba, Mexico, and Florida, areas that are typically not accustomed to experiencing seismic activity.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the seismic event at a magnitude of 6.1. The quake originated at a shallow depth of 26 km (16 miles), with its epicentre located 104 km west-northwest of Cuba's Mantua.

No reports of injuries or structural devastation were immediately available following the incident.

Meanwhile, a magnitude 5 earthquake hit Sargaz in the southern Hormozgan province of Iran early on Tuesday, Iranian state media reported.

According to Iranian state media, the seismic disturbance was recorded at a depth of 22 kilometres. No casualties or injuries have been documented from the region so far.

The tremors from the Cuban earthquake extended significantly, being felt as far away as the United States and Mexico.

The National Weather Service in Miami confirmed via a post on X that it had received multiple reports detailing visible shaking across the southwestern parts of Florida.

Furthermore, a surge of social media updates on Monday afternoon indicated that the tremors were felt by residents living even north of Orlando.

In response to the seismic activity, Miami-Dade County officials declared that they were evacuating multiple buildings out of an abundance of caution. The precautionary measures included the evacuation of the county's primary government office building, which stands as a 28-storey high-rise in downtown Miami.

Local authorities also implemented a temporary suspension of operations on two elevated commuter rail networks operating through the downtown Miami corridor. No injuries or severe structural impacts have been recorded.

In Mexico, the impact of the quake was observed across major tourist destinations on the Yucatan Peninsula, including Cancun, Playa del Carmen, and Tulum. Office workers and residents in the central district of Cancun, who are unaccustomed to strong quakes, rushed out to evacuate local buildings.

No tsunami warning or watch was issued after the earthquake, according to the US National Weather Service. (ANI)
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