A powerful earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck eastern Cuba on Sunday, further increasing the woes for the already beleaguered island that had been struggling with the fallout from weeks of powerful hurricanes and widespread blackouts. The pre-dawn quake was centered about 25 miles (40 km) south of the town of Bartolomé Masó in eastern Cuba, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The tremors were felt in several cities in the eastern region of the island, including Santiago de Cuba, the second-largest city in Cuba. Though shaking was strong, so far, there have been no reports of widespread damage or injuries. The quake did spook many in Santiago, however.
The earthquake comes at a particularly difficult time for Cuba, which has already been battered by several natural disasters and ongoing power outages. Only days before, on Wednesday, Hurricane Rafael tore through western Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing strong winds that knocked out power across the island, destroyed hundreds of homes, and prompted large-scale evacuations of thousands. Most of Cuba is still in the dark as the island recovers from damage left by the storm.
On top of the destruction caused by Hurricane Rafael, Cuba has been dealing with an energy crisis characterized by frequent blackouts in the country. In October, a series of island-wide blackouts hit the island for days and further deteriorated the already grim economic situation. Another hurricane soon followed, killing at least six people in the eastern part of the island and leaving more residents with a desperate need for relief.
Now, a mix of bad weather, cuts in electricity supply, and popular discontent has spawned small-scale protests all over the island. The majority of Cubans are angry at the government for not being able to solve the energy crisis and other persistent problems of the country.
