A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck the Gulf of America off the western coast of Cuba on June 8, 2026, making it the largest instrumentally recorded in the Gulf since 1950 and one of only six magnitude 5.0+ events in the region in the past 75 years.

Location and Depth

• Epicenter: ~65 miles west-northwest of Mantua, Pinar del Río province, Cuba.
• Depth: Shallow, about 6–10 km (26–6 miles).
• Tectonic setting: Intraplate earthquake within the North American Plate, far from the nearest active plate boundary.

Historical Significance

• Rare for the Gulf region, as most quakes occur along plate boundaries; this event was 250+ miles from the closest active boundary.
• Comparable to the 1880 M6.0 quake near San Cristobal, Cuba, which was felt in Florida and caused damage/fatalities.
• Second-strongest on record in the Gulf, just below a 6.4-magnitude event in 1959.

Impact and Felt Area

• Shaking felt: Across Cuba, parts of the Caribbean, Mexico, and the U.S. Gulf Coast, including Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Cape Coral, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Jacksonville, and even Tallahassee.
• Duration: Reports of 5–20 seconds of shaking.
• Damage: No significant damage or injuries reported in Cuba or the U.S.
• Cruise ships: Many in the Cayman Islands and South Florida ports experienced strong shaking mid-voyage.

Safety and Tsunami

• Tsunami risk: The National Tsunami Warning Center stated no tsunami danger for the U.S. east coast, Gulf of America states, or eastern Canada.
• Aftershocks: Likely, though their intensity and felt area are uncertain.

Why It Was So Felt

• Shallow depth amplified ground motion.
• Offshore location allowed seismic waves to travel farther.
• Intraplate rupture generated strong shaking far from plate boundaries.

In summary: This June 8, 2026 quake was a rare, powerful intraplate event in the Gulf of America, felt widely across the Caribbean and Gulf Coast, but with no major damage reported. It remains a notable seismic event for the region’s history.