US EditionEarthquake hits Cuba as nationwide blackout deepens crisis
- A 5.8-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Cuba early on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, according to the United States Geological Survey, while the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre measured it at 6.0. The tremor occurred 49 kilometers from Maisi with no immediate damage reported.
- The seismic event followed the total collapse of Cuba's national power grid on Monday, March 16, 2026. This blackout, the sixth nationwide failure in roughly 18 months, left nearly 10 million people without electricity, disrupting water pumping and telecommunications.
- Striking at a depth of 11.6 kilometers, the tremor compounded Cuba's existing energy crisis. The country grapples with severe fuel shortages following a three-month halt in foreign oil shipments, leaving restoration efforts severely constrained.
- Vice Prime Minister Oliva Fraga recently claimed "Cuba's doors are open" to foreign investment. Experts estimate that fully restoring the power system would require between $8 billion and $10 billion, sums widely considered beyond the economy's reach.
- President Donald Trump vowed on Monday to "take" Cuba, stating from the Oval Office he could "free it or take it." His administration reportedly indicates a desire for President Miguel Diaz-Canel's removal, adding political pressure amid the ongoing crisis.
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64 Articles
Magnitude 6 quake strikes eastern Cuba as island remained under nationwide blackout
A magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck eastern Cuba early on Tuesday while the island was still dealing with a nationwide blackout caused hours earlier by the collapse of the power grid. The quake was recorded by the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre at a depth of about 15 km, while reports from Cuba’s seismological service placed the epicenter 37 km southeast of Imías, in Guantánamo province, and said it was felt across several eastern prov
Cuba suffered in the early morning hours of Tuesday an earthquake of magnitude 6, perceived in the provinces of Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba, which coincided with a blackout that left more than nine million people without electricity.The Cuban National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS) reported a tremor with epicenter in the sea, perceptible at 12:28 a.m. local time, “at a depth of 20 kilometers, with a magnitude of 6.0 and located 3…
The island of Cuba suffered a magnitude 6 earthquake early this morning, felt in the provinces of Guantánamo and Santiago de Cuba, which coincided with a power outage that left most of the island without electricity…
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