On November 10, 2024, two strong earthquakes were registered in the southern part of Cuba, at a time when other natural disasters had only recently left their scarring blows to the country. The quakes did not take much time to arrive after the Category 3 hurricane named Rafael had done so much destruction on the island.
Earthquakes Facts
The quake struck at around 10:00 AM local time, with a magnitude of 5.9. An hour later, a stronger quake measuring 6.8 struck. Both quakes had epicenters in the waters near Bartolome Maso, in Granma province, about 25 miles offshore. The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the second quake took place at a depth of 14.6 miles (23.5 kilometers).
Impact On Local Residents
Residents in the town said much of the structural damage is extensive. The town reported cracked walls, and houses partial collapses were recorded by one of the residents, Dalia Rodriguez, saying it is “the last thing we needed,” referring to compounded miseries brought about by the hurricane.
It was so strong that I thought the ground would break, said Andres Perez, 65, a retiree who witnessed the quake in Santiago de Cuba. Here people quickly took to the streets because the ground moved very strongly.
Response and Relief Efforts
Following the tragedy, Cuban authorities quickly deployed emergency teams to survey the levels of damage and assist the populace affected. So far, preliminary assessments indicate that there were no casualties; however, assessments are still ongoing to see just how damaging the destruction would be. The government appealed for residents to be vigilant and follow all safety measures due to the recent string of natural disasters.
Geological Context
It is believed that the country’s closeness to the Septentrional-Oriente fault zone accounts for Cuba’s high susceptibility to seismic activity; the region is termed a principal left-lateral strike-slip fault that borders the southern coast of the island. In fact, the fault zone makes up part of the boundary of the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate, thus making this region extremely sensitive to earthquakes.
Seismic Activity Over Time
Historically, Cuba has experienced several of its most powerful quakes. In recent times, on 28 January 2020, a magnitude 7.7 quake occurred between Jamaica and Cuba, which caused widespread tremors that were felt as far as Florida. However, despite the force of that quake, damages were very minimal and no casualties were reported.
WIKIPEDIA Challenges Ahead
The country has, of recent, experienced exacerbating the already-strained economic situations together with infrastructure vulnerabilities in Cuba. Hurricanes, coupled with seismic events, have compounded strains on resources and called for stronger disaster preparedness measures and resilient infrastructure.
Community Resilience
Amid such tough situations, the Cuban community has been quite strong. Neighbours support neighbors, share what they have, and try to accommodate all those with no homes at all. Organizations in the neighborhood are now coming together with international aid groups to help organize relief delivery and rebuilding activities.
Future
Rebuilding and strengthening infrastructure in Cuba, which has been severely damaged due to the natural disasters, must be a prime focus area in the present. Disaster preparedness education must go hand in hand with drills in the communities to warn them of future natural disasters well ahead of the impending calamities.
Conclusively, the earthquakes of November 10, 2024 pose some serious tests for Cuba, in a manifested attempt to level out its resilience, both in people and infrastructure. Only time will tell whether the nation is going to face and bounce back from this event of a natural calamity.
