A 6.8 magnitude earthquake shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling.
The epicenter of the quake was located approximately 25 miles south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba, according to a report by the United States Geological Survey.
The rumbling was felt across the eastern stretch of Cuba, including in bigger cities like Santiago de Cuba.
The earthquake comes during another tough stretch for Cuba.
The blackouts and wider discontent among many struggling to get by has stoked small protests across the island.
Following weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many people on the island in shock, a 6point-8 magnitude earthquake struck eastern Cuba on Sunday.
According to a U.S. Geological Survey report, the epicenter of the earthquake was about 25 miles south of Bartolomé Masó, Cuba.
The rumbling was audible in larger cities like Santiago de Cuba as well as throughout the eastern portion of Cuba. No reports of injuries or damage were made right away.
On Sunday, residents of Santiago, the second-largest city in Cuba, were shaken.
People in the city flocked to the streets and were still sitting in their doorways with anxiety, according to 76-year-old Yolanda Tabío. She claimed that after the earthquake, she experienced at least two aftershocks, but she had not heard of any damage from friends or family.
“You had to see how everything was moving, the walls, everything,” she said to the Associated Press.
The earthquake strikes Cuba during yet another difficult period.
Hurricane Rafael, which was a Category 3 storm, tore through western Cuba on Wednesday. The powerful winds caused power outages throughout the island, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. Many parts of the island were still experiencing power outages days later.
A one-two punch was also delivered to the island a few weeks earlier in October. The island’s energy crisis first caused days-long blackouts that affected the entire island. At least six people were killed when a strong hurricane hit the island’s eastern region shortly after.
Across the island, small protests have been fueled by the blackouts and the general dissatisfaction of those who are struggling to make ends meet.
