Eastern Cuba was rattled by a 6.8 magnitude earthquake, with its epicenter located around 25 miles south of Bartolomé Masó, as reported by the United States Geological Survey. The quake's impact was widely felt across the eastern side of the island, including in Santiago de Cuba, the country's second-largest city, where residents like Yolanda Tabío described the panic and nervousness that ensued as people took to the streets and doorways.
Amidst the earthquake, Cuba has been facing a series of natural disasters, with Hurricane Rafael causing destruction and power outages just days before the earthquake hit. The aftermath of the hurricane left hundreds of homes destroyed, leading to widespread power outages and evacuations in its wake. Prior to the earthquake and hurricane, Cuba had been grappling with an energy crisis that resulted in island-wide blackouts for days, creating further discontent among its citizens trying to cope with the difficulties of daily living.
The combination of hurricanes, earthquakes, and ongoing blackouts has stirred unrest and frustration among Cubans, leading to small protests erupting across the island. The challenges of natural disasters compounded by energy shortages have left many residents struggling to rebuild, recover, and maintain their livelihoods in the face of multiple crises.