ORLANDO, Fla. – On Monday afternoon, many cities throughout Florida experienced tremors after a 6.1-magnitude earthquake occurred near Cuba and Mexico.
While many people in that stretch of the Caribbean felt the quake, its reach spread beyond to even the Sunshine State.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, impacts from the earthquake were reported as far north as Tampa, though News 6 has also received calls from viewers in Central Florida — particularly in the Clermont area.
The USGS has catalogued the reports statewide, detailing the distance of these reports from the earthquake and the Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale (MMI).
MMI refers to the intensity of an earthquake’s impact, including responses like people awakening, furniture moving, chimneys being damaged or even “total destruction.”
The scale is as follows:
As shown in the scale, MMI ratings at IV or below don’t tend to involve much structural damage.
In the reports listed by the USGS, the impacts from Wednesday’s earthquake ranged from an MMI of I - IV, with the ratings based on the observations reported.
As of Monday afternoon, those reports are as follows:
| Location | ZIP Code | Distance | No. of Response | MMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Key West | 33040 | 406 km | 3 | IV |
| Cape Coral | 33914 | 526 km | 3 | III |
| Ft. Myers | 33907 | 534 km | 1 | III |
| Naples | 34117 | 524 km | 1 | III |
| Palmetto | 34221 | 593 km | 4 | III |
| Ft. Myers | 33908 | 525 km | 4 | III |
| Ft. Lauderdale | 33328 | 614 km | 1 | III |
| Naples | 34113 | 502 km | 1 | III |
| Tampa | 33606 | 632 km | 1 | III |
| Miami | 33157 | 580 km | 1 | III |
Florida residents who believe they felt the impact of the earthquake can click here to report their experience to the USGS.