Second Cuba-centered quake in 8 days shakes the Yucatán Peninsula
Eight days after a 6.1 magnitude earthquake shattered glass windows and damaged facades at hotels in Cancún, a second quake measuring 5.1 was recorded shortly after noon on Monday, again startling residents across the Yucatán Peninsula, which is not prone to earthquakes. Both temblors were centered off the coast of Cuba, the first with an epicenter 118 kilometers offshore from Mantua, Cuba. The second on Monday sparked concern of a tsunami reaching Mexico’s Quintana Roo coast, but state authorities quickly ruled out that idea and are concentrating instead on inspecting for any structural damage. Seismic activity is not often felt on the Peninsula, even though the Oriente Fault — an underwater fracture zone considered one of the most active tectonic boundaries in the Caribbean — runs along the south of Cuba. At their closest points, the distance between Cuba and the Yucatán Peninsula is less than 200 kilometers (120 miles). Quintana Roo authorities established communication w...