A magnitude 6.1 earthquake occurred off the Cuban coast in the Gulf of Mexico on Monday, with reports of tremors felt in Southwestern Florida, as per a social media update from the National Weather Service’s (NWS) Miami office.
Robert Garcia, a warning coordination meteorologist at the NWS Miami office, stated that the earthquake was centered 104 kilometers (approximately 65 miles) northwest of Mantua, Cuba. It happened around 2 P.M. EDT, with a depth of 26 kilometers (about 16 miles) below the surface. “We have not heard any reports of damage in South Florida,” Garcia noted. There is currently no tsunami threat from this earthquake.
Jeff Berardelli, chief meteorologist at an NBC affiliate station in Tampa, Florida, shared on Bluesky that this earthquake ranks among the largest in the Gulf of Mexico’s history. He pointed out that the strongest known earthquake in the Gulf was a magnitude 6.4 event near Veracruz, Mexico, in 1959.
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According to Wendy Bohon, an independent seismologist, this earthquake is unusual as it occurred within the interior of a tectonic plate rather than along its edge, which is rare but not unprecedented. “This quake is in a somewhat unusual spot, and it’s pretty large,” she stated, noting that no earthquakes exceeding magnitude five have been recorded within 250 miles of this location.
Susan Hough, a seismologist at the U.S. Geological Survey, explained that the Caribbean has its own smaller version of the Pacific’s “Ring of Fire,” which was responsible for the 2010 Haiti earthquake. However, Monday’s earthquake occurred away from this boundary, which may prompt further scientific investigation, Hough suggested.
On the same day, a separate magnitude 7.8 earthquake struck off the coast of the Philippines. This event took place in a subduction zone, areas known for producing the most powerful earthquakes.
Additional reporting by Meghan Bartels.
Editor’s Note (6/8/26): This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
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