A country shaken by economic crisis for decades was this time shaken literally. Cuba was struck by the strongest earthquake in nearly 150 years - a tremor with a magnitude of 6.1, at a depth of 26 kilometres, with its epicentre on the island's north-western coast, about four hours' drive from Havana.

The scale is historic. According to seismologist Paul Earle of the US Geological Survey, no earthquake of this strength has hit the area within a 322-kilometre radius since 1880. Back then a similar tremor struck the San Cristobal region - the last time more than a century ago.

For now the authorities report no major damage or casualties, but the concern is real for another reason: years of economic hardship have left the buildings in poor shape, and power cuts made communication harder. When the infrastructure is already on its knees even without an earthquake, every tremor carries more risk than the magnitude number suggests.

The quake was felt even in Florida and on Mexico's Yucatan peninsula - in Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum - where the authorities activated emergency protocols. No tsunami was declared. "It was strong. I've never felt anything like it," recounted a 44-year-old resident of Pinar del Rio. "People ran outside, everyone was scared - as if there had never been an earthquake here."