An impactful 6.8 earthquake struck Cuba on Sunday amid a grueling recovery from recent power failures and damaging hurricane activity, officials said. According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake "occurred as the result of predominantly strike-slip faulting at shallow depth near within the Septentrional-Oriente Fault Zone."

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake has shaken eastern Cuba after weeks of hurricanes and blackouts that have left many on the island reeling.

Two strong earthquakes measuring 5.9 and 6.8 on the Richter scale surprised the Cuban population on Sunday. Cities in different regions in the southestern part of the island, which were close to the epicenter,