In the early morning of November 11, 2024, the US Geological Survey reported that a 5.9-magnitude earthquake occurred off the coast of Granma Province in southern Cuba. Despite the high magnitude, no tsunami warning has been issued yet.

Earthquake Overview: Shallow epicenter, strong tremors

The epicenter of the earthquake was located off the coast of Bartolome Maso in Granma Province, with a focal depth of 14.2 kilometers, which is a shallow-source earthquake. Earthquakes of this focal depth usually cause strong tremors in the surrounding areas of the epicenter, and even affect the stability of buildings, increasing the possibility of local damage. Although the epicenter is shallow, it did not trigger a tsunami, so no relevant alert was issued.

Impact Analysis: Geographical Location and Potential Impact of the Earthquake Zone

Granma Province is located in southern Cuba, a relatively remote area with a relatively dense population. According to the earthquake monitoring of the US Geological Survey, Cuba and the Caribbean region are located in a geologically active zone with frequent crustal activity and are at risk of natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanoes all year round. The epicenter of the 5.9-magnitude earthquake was located in the sea, reducing the direct threat to people and buildings on land. However, due to the strong tremors, coastal cities may be at risk of minor damage, and the specific losses still need to be assessed later.

Earthquake-prone southern Cuba: the impact of geologically active zones

Southern Cuba is located at the junction of the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. It is a geologically active area where small earthquakes often occur, but larger earthquakes are relatively rare. Cuba has also experienced many earthquakes above magnitude 5 before, but they usually do not cause serious damage. However, with the growth of population and infrastructure, coastal towns have an increasing demand for earthquake disaster prevention.

Disaster prevention preparations by local governments and the public

Although this earthquake did not trigger a tsunami, the Cuban authorities have reminded residents in coastal areas to remain vigilant and guard against potential risks such as aftershocks. Local governments should strengthen inspections on building safety, especially in urban areas near the epicenter. For countries and regions in seismically active zones, earthquake prevention and disaster reduction measures are the key to improving disaster resistance.

The earthquake off the coast of Cuba once again sounded the alarm for disaster prevention in the Caribbean region. Although this incident did not cause significant damage, the frequent occurrence of earthquakes still reminds people to pay attention to earthquake prevention measures and emergency preparedness.