An unexpected earthquake alert sent to thousands of mobile phones across Cuba on Tuesday incited panic in at least nine provinces, causing many to flee their homes and workplaces. Despite authorities later confirming that no seismic event had occurred to justify the alarm, the critical question remained unanswered: What caused the alert to appear on so many devices?
The Cuban Civil Defense took to their Facebook and X profiles to assure the public that no significant seismic activity had taken place.
Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service and technical deputy director of the National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS), clarified that the alert did not originate from Cuban seismological authorities.
"The earthquake alert received on mobile devices throughout the country was not based on any officially issued warning," he stated.
The Cuban News Channel even interrupted its regular programming to debunk the alert and emphasized that the CENAIS network of stations had not detected any significant seismic event.
The organization explained that its 24 stations continuously monitor seismic activity in real-time, and the recorded behavior was normal.
Unanswered Questions Remain
While official explanations ruled out the occurrence of a major earthquake, they failed to explain why thousands of phones received a warning that led many to believe they were facing a genuine emergency.
This lack of information prompted immediate questions on Civil Defense's social media platforms.
“That's known; the news should be why the warning appeared,” one user commented.
Another individual asked, “And why did the alert come? That's the news. Is it a cyberattack?”
As of now, no official information has attributed the incident to a cyberattack, nor has there been a public explanation of the technical cause for the activation.
The alert was particularly surprising as some users reported it activated even on phones set to silent mode, a feature typical of certain emergency notifications designed to grab the device owner's attention immediately.
Understanding Android's Earthquake Alert System
The notification is linked to Google's Android Earthquake Alerts System, a technology that turns compatible phones into a vast, distributed seismic detection network.
Android devices are equipped with accelerometers capable of sensing vibrations. When numerous stationary phones in the same area detect signals compatible with the early waves of an earthquake, that information can be processed to estimate the event's location and magnitude, sending warnings to potentially affected users.
Google cautions that the system has limitations and that estimates of magnitude and intensity may contain errors.
However, this general explanation of the technology does not by itself clarify what transpired in Cuba on Tuesday.
Seismic Event Adds to Confusion
Hours after the incident, another detail emerged, adding to the confusion: CENAIS reported that a seismic event had indeed been recorded on Tuesday, with its epicenter in Ciego de Ávila.
The movement caused no material damage or casualties, and according to available information, it has not been established as the cause of the mass alert received on phones.
The temporal coincidence of both events made it even more crucial to determine the exact origin of the warning, especially after authorities insisted that no significant earthquake had been detected by the national seismological network.
Public Reaction to the Alarm
Before the initial disclaimers were made public, the alarm's impact was already evident across various parts of the country.
Residents from Mayabeque, Granma, Holguín, Matanzas, Havana, Ciego de Ávila, Camagüey, Las Tunas, and Santiago de Cuba reported receiving the alert, though not all devices reacted in the same manner.
In Santiago de Cuba, a region with a history of seismic activity, the alert had a particularly significant impact.
“People rushed into the streets. In Santiago, we remember the occurrence of several earthquakes,” recounted a local resident.
From Camagüey, another witness confirmed that "everyone is in the streets," while in Campechuela, Granma, Norge Luis Fernández Ardevol shared that the immediate reaction was to find a safe open space: “We also moved to open areas.”
Understanding the Earthquake Alert Incident in Cuba
What caused the earthquake alert in Cuba?
The alert's cause remains unknown, as authorities confirmed no significant seismic activity occurred. The alert did not originate from Cuban seismological authorities, leading to questions about a potential technical error or cyberattack.
How does the Android Earthquake Alerts System work?
Google's Android Earthquake Alerts System uses phone accelerometers to detect vibrations. When many stationary phones in an area sense initial earthquake waves, the system estimates the event's location and magnitude, sending alerts to users.
Was there an actual earthquake in Cuba on the day of the alert?
A minor seismic event was recorded in Ciego de Ávila, but it was not linked to the widespread alert received on phones. Authorities have not established a connection between the event and the alert.