The National Center for Seismological Research (CENAIS) has reported a surge in seismic activity in the Santiago-Baconao region, with 17 earthquakes occurring within the last 24 hours. This information comes from the official seismological report released on Monday, covering the period from 6:00 AM Sunday to 5:59 AM Monday.
The tremors ranged in magnitude from 0.2 to 2.5, none of which were felt by the local population.
Dr. Enrique Diego Arango Arias, head of the National Seismological Service at CENAIS and a leading authority in Cuban seismology, shared the report via his Facebook profile. His message aimed to reassure residents: "Good morning, our Santiago - Baconao area experienced 17 tremors in the last 24 hours. The number is increasing, but the energy remains within daily routine parameters."
In addition to the 17 events in Santiago-Baconao, CENAIS reported four earthquakes in the Imías region, with magnitudes between 1.4 and 2.3, and one in the Paso de los Vientos/Great Inagua area, measuring 3.2 on the Richter scale.
Elsewhere in the Caribbean, the most significant seismic event during this period was a 3.6 magnitude earthquake in the Dominican Republic on Sunday at 11:46 PM UTC, occurring at a depth of 143 kilometers.
Recent Seismic Context in Cuba
The last noticeable earthquake in Cuba occurred on August 21, with a magnitude of 3.6. Its epicenter was located 31 kilometers southeast of Santiago de Cuba, at a depth of 10 kilometers, causing no material damage or casualties. This was the tenth noticeable earthquake of the year on the island.
Monday's increase in seismic events comes amid heightened public sensitivity to seismic activity in eastern Cuba, partly due to a false seismic alarm on August 18, when alerts reached mobile phones without any real event being detected by CENAIS.
Arango Arias promptly debunked the alert, with ETECSA later taking responsibility for the incident. The seismologist remarked at the time that, in his personal opinion, "it was something malicious."
Seismic Hotspot: Santiago-Baconao
The Santiago-Baconao region is historically Cuba's most seismically active area, linked to the Oriente Fault—also known as the Bartlett-Cayman Fault—which delineates the boundary between the North American and Caribbean tectonic plates.
The year 2026 has been particularly intense for eastern Cuba: during the first half of the year, 3,882 earthquakes were recorded in Cuba and adjacent areas, with 885 occurring in the Santiago-Baconao region.
Notable events this year included a 5.6 magnitude earthquake in February and a 6.0 magnitude tremor in Imías on March 17, which generated over 620 aftershocks in just over 24 hours.
CENAIS has identified Santiago de Cuba as one of the Cuban cities under permanent seismic alert, along with Pilón, Bayamo, Manzanillo, Gibara, Moa, and Baracoa.
Understanding Seismic Activity in Eastern Cuba
Why is Santiago-Baconao prone to earthquakes?
The Santiago-Baconao region is prone to earthquakes due to its location along the Oriente Fault, which is a tectonic boundary between the North American and Caribbean plates, making it a seismically active area.
What was the most recent significant earthquake in Cuba?
The most recent significant earthquake in Cuba occurred on August 21 with a magnitude of 3.6, located 31 kilometers southeast of Santiago de Cuba.
Has there been any false earthquake alarms in Cuba recently?
Yes, a false earthquake alarm occurred on August 18, when warnings were sent to mobile phones without any actual seismic event detected by CENAIS. The alert was later discredited and blamed on a technical error by ETECSA.