M5.5 earthquake 58 km SSW of Niquero, Cuba
A magnitude 5.5 earthquake struck 58 km SSW of Niquero, Cuba on Sun, Aug 26, 1990, 3:53 AM GMT-4 (07:53 UTC), 10 km (6 mi) below the surface.
Map
Where this earthquake was located, with the others nearby. Select one for its page.
The earthquake
- Magnitude
- 5.5 (Mw, moment), moderate
- Magnitude from
- USGS National Earthquake Information Center
- Local time
- UTC
- 1990-08-26 07:53:41 UTC
- Depth
- 10.0 km (6.2 mi), shallow
- Epicenter
- 19.592° N, 77.874° W
- Region
- Cuba
- Tsunami flag
- No
- Status
- Reviewed by a seismologist
Magnitude estimates
Different scales measure different things and differ by a few tenths. The USGS marks one as preferred, and it is the one this page uses.
| Mag. | Scale | Computed by | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.5 | Mw, moment | USGS National Earthquake Information Center | Preferred · Reviewed |
| 5.5 | Mw, moment | ISC-GEM global catalog | Final · ±0.1 |
| 5.5 | Mwc, centroid moment | Global CMT project | Preliminary |
What happened
The USGS’s account of the effects of this earthquake.
Felt strongly in the areas of Manzanillo, Niquero and Pilson. Felt in many parts of eastern Cuba. Also felt in western Jamaica. CENTROID, MOMENT TENSOR (HRV) Data Used: GDSN L.P.B.: 12S, 26C Centroid Location: Origin Time 07:53:44.3 0.6 Lat 19.43N 0.05 Lon 78.04W 0.05 Dep 15.0 FIX Half-duration 2.2 Moment Tensor; Scale 10**17 Nm Mrr=-1.42 0.05 Mtt=-0.72 0.06 Mff=2.15 0.07 Mrt=-0.69 0.14 Mrf=-0.59 0.22 Mtf=0.82 0.06 Principal Axes: (T) Val=2.51 Plg=11 Azm=106 (N) Val=-0.66 Plg=28 Azm=202 (P) Val=-1.85 Plg=59 Azm=357 Best Double Couple:Mo=2.2*10**17 NP1:Strike=166 Dip=42 Slip=-135 NP2:Strike=39 Dip=62 Slip=-57
From the USGS event page for usp0004dwu. U.S. Geological Survey text and figures are in the public domain.
Did you feel it?
No one has reported feeling this quake to the USGS.
How well it is located
Reviewed by a seismologist.
- Depth from
- OPERATOR_ASSIGNED
Nearest places
Distance and direction from each place to the epicenter, with its forecast.
Nearby
Within 100 km, magnitude 2.5 and up: 0 in the 60 days after this one and 0 in the 30 days before it.
None recorded.
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Sources
From the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program and its partner networks, event usp0004dwu (also filed as gcmtb082690b, gcmt19900826075345, iscgem360704). Read Thu, Oct 1, 2026, 11:49 AM UTC.