Cuba hit by 6.8 magnitude earthquake after being battered by hurricanes and blackouts

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 shook eastern Cuba on Sunday, after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling.

The epicentre of the quake was located about 40 kilometre south of Bartolome Maso, Cuba, according to a report by the U.S. Geological Survey.

Rumbling was felt across the eastern stretch of Cuba, including in bigger cities like Santiago de Cuba, as well as Holguin and Guantanamo. Local media in Jamaica also reported that the island felt the tremors.

There were no immediate reports of major damage or injuries in Cuba.

Residents in Santiago, Cuba's second-largest city, were left shaken on Sunday.

Yolanda Tabio, 76, said people in the city flocked to the streets and were still nervously sitting in their doorways. She said she felt at least two aftershocks following the quake, but that she hadn't heard of any damage suffered by her friends and family.

"You had to see how everything was moving, the walls, everything," she told The Associated Press.

Others reported hearing screams, adding that the quake was strong and stretched on for some time. On social media, residents in the small town of Pilon reported minor damage, posting photos of crumbling roofs and cracks on building walls, not uncommon in Cuba where many structures are older and in need of repair.

The earthquake comes during another tough stretch for Cuba.

On Wednesday, Category 3 Hurricane Rafael ripped through western Cuba, with strong winds knocking out power island-wide, destroying hundreds of homes and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate their homes.

Days after, much of the island was still struggling without power.

LISTEN | Cuba's repeated power outages reflect deeper issues: 

The Current17:49Cuba's repeated power outages reflect deeper issues

Ruaridh Nicoll, Cuba correspondent with The Guardian, tells guest host Susan Ormiston how the island’s multiple power shutdowns point to the overall decline of the government’s services — it has few true allies, is financially strapped and is at risk of becoming a failed state. 

In October, the island was also hit by a one-two punch. First, there were island-wide blackouts stretching on for days, a product of the country's energy crisis. Shortly after, Hurricane Oscar struck the eastern part of the island and killed at least six people.

The blackouts and wider discontent among many struggling to get by has stoked small protests across the island.