A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck near western Cuba on Tuesday, shaking buildings in Havana and sending tremors as far as Florida, the Associated Press reported. No injuries or significant damage were immediately reported. The quake hit at a depth of 10 kilometres in waters west of Havana, according to the US Geological Survey.
The earthquake was felt well beyond Cuba, with reports of shaking coming in from parts of Florida. The National Weather Service in Miami said it had received several reports of tremors in the south-western part of the state. Social media posts on Monday afternoon also indicated that people felt shaking as far north as areas beyond Orlando.
Update: Shaking has been felt across much of Florida in the aftermath of the 6.1 magnitude quake just west of Cuba.
— NWS Miami (@NWSMiami) June 8, 2026
*NO* tsunami threat is expected from the earthquake. https://t.co/v8qFN0vbs8 pic.twitter.com/qJBSOGE5PR
In Miami-Dade County, officials evacuated several buildings as a precaution, including the county's main government office building which is a 28-storey high-rise in downtown Miami. Authorities also temporarily suspended services on two elevated commuter train lines running through the downtown area. Officials said there were no reports of injuries or major property damage.
William Barnhart, a geophysicist with the US Geological Survey, described Monday's earthquake as 'extremely rare', according to the Associated Press. He said it was the largest earthquake ever recorded in the Gulf of Mexico using modern instruments, which date back to the 1950s.
No tsunami was generated by the earthquake. Barnhart said destructive ocean waves caused by earthquakes and other underwater disturbances are more common in the Pacific, though they can also occur in the Atlantic. He added that western Cuba could experience strong aftershocks, but these were unlikely to be felt in Florida.
RARE GULF EARTHQUAKE: The magnitude 6.1 today near Cuba is officially the 2nd strongest on record in the Gulf. Strongest quake was a 6.4 in the Southwestern Gulf near Mexico in 1959. Considering the shaking in Florida today, the largest known quake ever in the state was a 4.4 in… pic.twitter.com/buLP7zju0W
— Matt Devitt (@MattDevittWX) June 8, 2026
Cuba has experienced damaging earthquakes in the past, particularly along the Oriente fault zone off the country's south-eastern coast. In January 2020, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake in open waters caused damage in Cuba and the Cayman Islands. Monday's quake, however, struck near western Cuba, making its location and reach across Florida especially unusual.
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