Earthquake Off Cuba Sends Light Shaking Across Florida

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck offshore of western Cuba on Monday afternoon, sending light shaking across parts of Florida and prompting emergency calls in Miami, though officials reported no major injuries or damage.

The earthquake hit about 65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba, west of Havana, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. NBC News described the location as just west of Cuba in the southern Gulf. The tremor was felt in parts of South Florida, as well as in areas as far north as Tampa and Orlando.

“Shaking from the recent M6.1 earthquake offshore of Cuba was felt in Florida, where earthquakes are not commonly felt. Did you feel it? (If you’re in the area and did not feel it, that’s data too!),” the USGS posted on X.

Miami officials said the city received multiple calls for service after seismic activity was reportedly felt in several areas.

“The City of Miami is aware of a magnitude 6.1 earthquake that occurred off the coast of Cuba,” the city said in a statement. “Resulting seismic activity was reportedly felt in several areas throughout the city, prompting multiple calls for service.”

Miami Fire-Rescue responded to each reported incident, officials said. “At this time, no significant injuries or major property damage have been reported, and all calls have been handled without further issue,” the city said.

The National Weather Service office in Miami said there was no tsunami threat in South Florida. The National Tsunami Center also said there was no tsunami danger, NBC News reported. The Miami Beach Fire Department said there was no cause for alarm.

Residents across Florida described brief, light movement. NBC News reported that videos posted on social media showed items inside homes gently swaying. In Palm Beach, one TikTok user posted a video of a plant rocking back and forth and wrote, “You can barely see it, but I felt it.” In Hollywood, Florida, another person said they were sitting on a couch when they felt movement and posted a video on X showing a water cooler shaking. A Tampa resident shared a video of a houseplant shaking from the tremor.

The shaking was also felt beyond Florida. NBC News reported that a man in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, wrote on X that “everything was shaking” there. “Lots of shaking for a good minute,” he said. “Worse than the 2 earthquakes I’ve experienced in LA. Pretty scary before it ended.”

Earthquake shaking is uncommon in Florida, but the state has felt tremors from strong regional quakes before. In January 2020, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica, with shaking reported in Miami and other parts of South Florida. At the time, a resident told CBS News Miami, “I was sitting at my desk in Aventura, I felt motion similar to feeling light-headed. It didn’t stop and my coworker asked if the building was moving.”

No additional information was released Monday.