A 6.1 magnitude earthquake struck the Gulf of Mexico on Monday afternoon (8), with its epicenter around 105 km off the northwest coast of Cuba. The tremor was felt in several regions of Florida, including Tampa Bay and even further north, and prompted preventive evacuations in Cancún and other Mexican cities.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded the event at a depth of approximately 26 km. There are no reports of deaths, serious injuries or significant damage in Cuba, Florida or Mexico. Despite the intensity, the US Tsunami Warning Center ruled out any risk of a tsunami for American or Canadian coasts.
Florida residents report scare in area unaccustomed to tremors
In Florida, where earthquakes are rare, the quake prompted reports of furniture moving, objects shaking and a feeling of swaying in buildings. Residents of Tampa Bay, Ruskin and St. Petersburg described the moment as alarming. One resident said she initially thought her dog was causing the movement, until she saw the table and water in the coffee maker shake.
In Miami, authorities received calls for emergency services and evacuated some buildings as a precaution. Metrorail briefly halted service. At theme parks and public buildings in other counties, such as Lake County, employees left or closed structures for inspections.
Evacuations in Mexico and comparison with regional history
In Mexico, the tremor led to evacuations in hotels, schools and public buildings in Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum. Authorities in Yucatán and Quintana Roo activated preventive measures. In the Caribbean, tremors of this magnitude are more common near tectonic faults, but this one occurred within the plate, making it less frequent in the region.
USGS experts highlighted that the last event of similar strength within a radius of 320 km happened in 1880, a 6.0 magnitude earthquake near San Cristóbal, Cuba. This reinforces the unusual nature of Monday’s tremor for northwestern Cuba and the Gulf.
What explains the reach and what changes for the population
The shallow depth and magnitude allowed the tremor to spread hundreds of kilometers, surprising a population more accustomed to hurricanes than earthquakes. Geologists note that Florida and the Gulf do not lie on active plate edges, which makes such events “peculiar” and useful for studies on intraplate seismicity.
In practice, the episode serves as a reminder for emergency plans in traditional non-seismic areas. Although without serious consequences this time, it exposes the need to review older structures and communicate quickly in unexpected situations.
