Tremors from Magnitude 6.1 Earthquake Off Cuba’s Coast Felt in Belize

A powerful earthquake that struck off the coast of Cuba this afternoon sent tremors across several countries in the region, including Belize, prompting precautionary evacuations in some offices and businesses.  According to regional monitoring agencies, the earthquake measured 6.1 on the magnitude scale and occurred shortly after midday approximately 105 kilometers from Mantua, Cuba. The quake was recorded at a shallow depth, allowing the tremors to be felt across a wide area, including parts of Mexico, Cuba, Florida, and Belize.  In Belize, several residents reported feeling buildings sway, while some offices were temporarily evacuated as a precaution. Despite the shaking, authorities say there have been no reports of injuries or structural damage.  Shortly after the event, the National Emergency Management Organization, NEMO, and the National Meteorological Service issued an information bulletin advising that there was no tsunami threat to Belize and that no action was required by the public.  Minister responsible for NEMO, Henry Charles Usher, says the agency moved quickly to verify the information and reassure Belizeans following reports of tremors being felt across the country.

Henry Charles Usher, Minister of Disaster Risk Management: “We got the report that there was a 6.1 or 6.4, I’ve seen two different measurements, of an earthquake off the northwest coast of Cuba which is close to the coastline of Mexico as well. And so tremors were felt in Cuba, in Mexico, and even in Belize. This happened around midday. NEMO put out an advisory to say that there were no threats of tsunami or anything like that. But certainly, of course, whenever there’s an earthquake, there’s a risk of aftershocks and we have to make sure that we continue to monitor those. As you know earlier this morning there was also an earthquake in the Philippines, which was much bigger than the one off the coast of Cuba and so, you know, we just have to make sure that we monitor these situations. But as of right now, the latest advisory or bulletin coming out from NEMO is that there is no risk of any tsunami.”

According to regional authorities, they continue to monitor seismic activity in collaboration with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center and other regional partners.  While the earthquake caused buildings to shake in Cuba and parts of Florida, international monitoring agencies have confirmed that no tsunami warning, advisory, watch, or threat has been issued for Belize or the wider Caribbean region.