March 17 (UPI) -- A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck eastern Cuba early Tuesday, hours after the island's national power grid collapsed, leaving nearly the entire country without electricity and compounding an already severe economic and social crisis.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported the quake at magnitude 5.8, while Cuba's National Seismological Research Center measured it at 6.0. The epicenter was located off the coast of Guantánamo province and was widely felt across eastern Cuba.
State local newspaper Granma reported no fatalities or significant material damage.
The tremor followed the total disconnection of Cuba's National Electric System shortly before 2 p.m. Monday, the sixth nationwide blackout in roughly 18 months. The Ministry of Energy and Mines said on X that the causes remain under investigation.
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