2 Earthquakes Strike Within Hours: Magnitude 5.0 Tremor Hits Iran’s Hormozgan After Major Cuba Jolt

Two earthquakes struck thousands of kilometres apart within hours of each other, shaking Iran and the Caribbean region in a rare back-to-back seismic sequence that briefly rattled residents but caused no immediate reports of major damage or casualties. A stronger offshore earthquake near Cuba was followed hours later by a moderate tremor in southern Iran’s Hormozgan province.

The first quake struck on Monday off Cuba’s northwest coast, registering a magnitude 6.1, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The tremor occurred at a shallow depth of around 26 kilometres, with its epicentre located roughly 104 kilometres west-northwest of Mantua in western Cuba.

The earthquake was widely felt across western Cuba, where residents rushed outdoors

as buildings swayed. Shaking also spread across the Caribbean, reaching parts of Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancún, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, as well as US states such as Florida, where residents reported brief but noticeable tremors.

Authorities in Cuba, Mexico and the US reported no immediate casualties or major structural damage. No tsunami warning was issued following the offshore quake, though emergency protocols were briefly activated in several coastal regions as a precaution.

Seismologists noted that the quake was unusual in its location, occurring within a tectonic plate rather than along a boundary fault, where stronger earthquakes are more commonly concentrated.

Within hours of the Caribbean tremor, a magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck southern Iran’s Hormozgan province early Tuesday, according to Iranian state media. The quake hit near Sargaz at a depth of about 22 kilometres, making it shallow enough to be felt clearly at the surface. Residents reported brief shaking, though there were no immediate reports of casualties or significant damage.

Iran sits on multiple active fault lines and is one of the world’s most earthquake-prone countries, with frequent seismic activity affecting both coastal and inland regions.