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A noticeable earthquake measuring 5.3 in magnitude shook eastern Cuba early Thursday morning, with its epicenter located south of the municipality of Imías, in Guantánamo province, as reported by the National Seismological Service.
The head of that institution, Enrique Diego Arango Arias, confirmed the event through his social media.
“PERCEPTIBLE EARTHQUAKE WITH EPICENTER SOUTH OF IMÍAS GUANTÁNAMO, 04:56:17 LOCAL TIME, Magnitude: 5.3 Depth: 10km”, the specialist wrote in a brief post on Facebook.
According to data from the seismic monitoring system, the earthquake occurred at 04:56 AM (local time).
The epicenter was located approximately 30 kilometers southeast of Imías, in Guantánamo.
The technical records place the event at coordinates 19.913° north latitude and -74.431° west longitude, with a depth close to 30 kilometers, allowing it to be clearly felt in several locations in eastern Cuba.
Although the initial report mentioned a depth of approximately 10 kilometers, subsequent instrumental data from the monitoring system indicate a greater depth range, with margins of uncertainty inherent to seismic calculations.
Residents report a strong tremor in several cities
In the comments on the specialist's post, numerous residents from the eastern part of the country confirmed that the tremor was strong enough to wake them in the middle of the night.
Some internet users described the movement as particularly strong and prolonged.
"It was strong, no one can sleep"; "Very strong... it woke me up"; "Strong and long," three commentators agreed.
The reactions also indicated that the earthquake was felt in several cities in the eastern region.
Users reported feeling it in Santiago de Cuba, Baracoa, Bayamo, and other nearby locations, although with varying intensity depending on the area.
"He felt strong in Baracoa," wrote a commenter.
"Very strong here in Santiago," indicated another.
Other residents agreed that the tremor was intense enough to disrupt their rest.
"Great alarm clock," commented an internet user.
High seismic activity zone in Cuba
The area where the earthquake occurred is part of the most seismically active zone in the country, located along the Oriente fault, at the boundary between the Caribbean and North American tectonic plates.
This region, covering the southern part of the eastern provinces, records the majority of the perceptible earthquakes in Cuba.
So far, no material damage or casualties have been reported, although authorities and specialists usually maintain vigilance after events of this magnitude due to the possibility of aftershocks.
The National Seismological Service continues to monitor activity in the area and update information as new instrumental data is processed.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
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