List of earthquakes in Cuba
Cuba is located in an area with several active fault systems which produce on average about 2000 seismic events each year.[1] While most registered seismic events pass unnoticed, the island has been struck by a number of destructive earthquakes over the past four centuries, including several major quakes with a magnitude of 7.0 or above.
Approximately 70% of seismic activity in Cuba emanates from the Oriente fault zone, located in the Bartlett-Cayman fault system which runs along the south-eastern coast of Cuba and marks the tectonic boundary between the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate.[2] The 12 currently active faults in Cuba also include the Cauto-Nipe, Cochinos and Nortecubana faults.[2] Destructive earthquakes originating from the Oriente fault occurred in 1766 (=7.6), 1852 (=7.2) and 1932 (=6.75).[3] Some studies suggest there is a high probability the Oriente fault will produce a magnitude 7 earthquake in the near future.[4]
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Notable earthquakes in recent Cuban history include the following:
Name | Date | Epicentre | M | Intensity | Depth | Notes | Deaths |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1578 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba[1] | 6.8 | VIII | 30 km | Magnitude estimated at 6.8 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at VIII EMS-98.[1] | ||
1580 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba [5] | ||||||
1632 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba [6] | ||||||
1675 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba [1][7] | 5.8 | VII | 30 km | Magnitude estimated at 5.8 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at VII EMS-98.[1] | ||
1678 Cuba earthquake | 14:59 |
1678-02-11Santiago de Cuba [7] | 6.8 | VIII | 30 km | Magnitude estimated at 6.8 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at VIII EMS-98.[1] | |
1679 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba [7] | ||||||
1682 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba [7] | 5.8 | VII | 30 km | Magnitude estimated at 5.8 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at VII EMS-98.[1] | ||
1693 Cuba earthquake | Havana[8] | "1,500 houses thrown down" | |||||
1757 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba [9] | ||||||
1766 Cuba earthquake | 05:14 |
1766-06-11Santiago de Cuba [10] | 7.6 [3] | IX | 35 km | Magnitude estimated at 7.6 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at IX EMS-98.[1] | 120 |
1826 Cuba earthquake | 09:26 |
1826-09-18Santiago de Cuba [11] | 5.8 | VII | 30 km | Magnitude estimated at 5.8 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at VII EMS-98.[1] | |
1842 Cuba earthquake | Santiago de Cuba[1] | 6.0 | VII | 30 km | Magnitude estimated at 6.0 ML on the Richter magnitude scale, intensity at VII EMS-98.[1] | ||
1852 Cuba earthquake | 14:05 UTC |
1852-08-20Santiago de Cuba [10][12] | 7.2 [3] | IX | 30 km | Intensity estimated at IX EMS-98,[1] with 26 heavy aftershocks. Caused severe damage to Churches and other buildings in Santiago de Cuba, as well as landslides in the Sierra Maestra region. Shaking felt in the whole of eastern Cuba, up to the islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola.[13] | |
1852 Cuba earthquake (November) | 08:37 GMT |
1852-11-26Santiago de Cuba, Sierra Maestra[1][14] | 7.0 | VIII | 35 km | ||
1858 Cuba earthquake | 22:04 |
1858-01-28Santiago de Cuba[1] | 6.5 | VII | 30 km | ||
1880 Cuba earthquake | 04:39 |
1880-01-23San Cristóbal/Vuelta Abajo (Pinar del Río) [1][15][16] | 6.0 | VIII | 15 km | A series of severe shock waves originating from western Cuba were also felt in the town of Key West (Florida), and included a strong earthquake on 23 January 1880 in San Cristóbal, Pinar del Río at 4 a.m.[16] | |
1903 Cuba earthquake | 08:09 |
1903-09-22Santiago de Cuba[1] | 5.7 | VII | 30 km | ||
1906 Cuba earthquake | 07:09 |
1906-06-22Santiago de Cuba[1] | 6.2 | VII | 30 km | ||
1914 Cuba earthquake | 05:19 |
1914-02-28Gibara[1] | 6.2 | VII | 32 km | ||
1914 Cuba earthquake | 05:19 |
1914-12-25Santiago de Cuba[1] | 6.7 | VII | 30 km | ||
1932 Cuba earthquake | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Santiago de Cuba [17] |
6.75 [3] | VIII | Intensity estimated at VIII EMS-98.[1] 8[17] - 1500[18] deaths, 300 injured. 80% of buildings in Santiago de Cuba affected.,[17] with damage totaling 15 million Pesos.[13] | 8 | ||
1947 Cuba earthquake | 00:40:20 hrs |
1947-08-07Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
6.8 | VIII | 50 km | Magnitude estimated at 6.8 ML and intensity VIII EMS-98.[1] | |
1992 Cuba earthquake | 16:55:04 UTC |
1992-05-25Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cabo Cruz, Pilón–Manzanillo[20] |
6.9 [21] | VII | 23 km | A strong earthquake struck the Cabo Cruz sector, leaving 40 people injured and more than 820 buildings damaged in the Pilon-Manzanillo area.[22] | - |
Intensity= Intensity on the European Macroseismic Scale (EMS-98), which is somewhat similar to the Modified Mercalli scale (MM)
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 Oficina Nacional de Estadísticas, 2009
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cotilla, 2007
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Alvarez 1999:2
- ↑ Rubio, 1985
- ↑ Milne, 1912: 30
- ↑ Milne, 1912: 32
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Milne, 1912: 36
- ↑ Milne, 1912: 37
- ↑ Milne, 1912: 44
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Cotilla, 2003
- ↑ Milne, 1912: 54
- ↑ Milne, 1912: 62
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 ONE, 2006
- ↑ Milne 1912: 63
- ↑ Milne 1912: 80
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Earthquake in Cuba. 1500 Deaths reported. The Sidney Morning Herald, Feb. 4, 1932.
- ↑ A Chronological History of the U.S. Navy Cruiser U.S.S. LITTLE ROCK
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Pierrot et al, 1998
- ↑ Earthquake in Cuba Injures 40 and Destroys 100 Homes
Other sources
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