ORLANDO, Fla. – Did you feel it? A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mantua, Cuba on Monday, June 8, with reports of shaking and tremors being felt as far away as Florida. FOX 35 has received several reports of feeling shaking across Central Florida, including Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville.
Officials said there is no tsunami or threat as a result of the earthquake.
Live updates: 6.1-magnitude earthquake hits Cuba, and felt in Florida
The earthquake was reported around 2 p.m. roughly 64 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba.
6.1-magnittude earthquake near Cuba felt in Florida
Did you feel it? A 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck near Mantua, Cuba on Monday, June 8, with reports of shaking and tremors being felt as far away as Florida. FOX 35 has received several reports of feeling shaking across Central Florida, including Orlando, Tampa, and Jacksonville.
Did you feel the earthquake? Here’s how to tell the USGS
How are earthquakes measured? What does magnitude mean?
Monday’s earthquake off the coast of Cuba was given an initial 6.1-magnitutde rating. Earthquakes are recorded using seismic stations, which measure the level of movement of the ground at that site.
You’ve likely heard of the Richter scale, which was used to measure earthquakes. However, that system is now considered to be “outdated,” per the USGS’s website. The USGS currently reports earthquake magnitude using the Moment Magnitude scale, which measures body wave magnitude, surface wave magnitude, and moment magnitude.
“The moment magnitude provides an estimate of earthquake size that is valid over the complete range of magnitudes, a characteristic that was lacking in other magnitude scales.”
Earthquakes are rated using two measurements:
- Magnitude: This measures the size of the earthquake.
- Intensity: This measures the shaking and damage caused by an earthquake. This number can change depending on the level of damage at different locations where the earthquake was felt.
USGS: Aftershocks expected
A spokesperson for the USGS told FOX 35 that aftershocks – smaller earthquakes that happen after a large one in the same area – are likely after the Cuba earthquake due to its size.
“Yes, we can confirm there was an earthquake in the region a little bit ago. There was a magnitude 6.1 earthquake off the coast of Cuba,” said the USGS spokesperson.
“We are still getting felt reports and would expect aftershocks from a quake of this size.”
Lake County offices closed after earthquake felt in Florida
All Lake County offices will be closed for the rest of the day because of “conditions experienced locally from today’s earthquake off the coast of Cuba, and out of an abundance of caution,” the agency said on Facebook.
Where did the earthquake happen?
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a 6.1-magnitude earthquake was reported Monday afternoon near Mantua, Cuba. It had a depth of 26 miles.
NWS: No tsunami threat or other threats to Florida
The NWS Jacksonville said in a post on X that it received several reports of shaking or tremors following the earthquake. The NWS Tsunami Alert Center said there is “NO tsunami, NO danger” from the recent earthquake near Cuba.
Did you feel it? FOX 35 wants to see your photos, videos
Did you feel shaking or tremors? FOX 35 wants to talk to you. Please email us at [email protected], or click here to share any photos or videos.
The Source: The information is from the United States Geological Survey.
