6.1 earthquake in Gulf shakes Florida, no tsunami threat reported

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake in the Gulf region sent light shaking across Florida on Monday, with reports from South Florida, Central Florida and as far north as Jacksonville. Officials said there was no tsunami threat to the United States, and early reports showed no major damage or injuries.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck at 18:00:25 UTC on June 8, 2026, about 104 kilometers west-northwest of Mantua, Cuba, at a depth of 10.0 kilometers. The agency placed the epicenter at 22.801°N, 85.139°W. The earthquake was first reported at a higher magnitude before the USGS revised it down to 6.1.

The National Weather Service office in Miami said the shaking was felt across much of Florida, underscoring how a quake centered outside the state can still be widely noticed on the peninsula. Local reports described light shaking in several regions, including South Florida and Central Florida, with some residents as far away as Jacksonville saying they felt it. The USGS “Did You Feel It?” system was collecting public reports to map where the shaking reached and how strong it felt in different communities.

For Florida, the immediate concern was not ground damage but whether the event could generate a tsunami or trigger other coastal hazards. NOAA and National Weather Service tsunami messaging said there was no tsunami danger to the United States. NOAA’s Tropical Weather Outlook also said tropical cyclone formation was not expected over the next seven days in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea or Gulf region, removing one more potential weather-related hazard from the picture.

The quake also drew a reminder from past experience. Florida has felt distant earthquakes before, including the 5.8 Mineral, Virginia, earthquake in August 2011, which was reported in parts of the state. Monday’s event was another example of how seismic waves can travel far beyond the epicenter, especially when the quake is shallow and strong enough to be felt across a broad area.

Even with no immediate reports of major damage, the episode offered a practical lesson for coastal states: earthquake alerts, tsunami messaging and public reporting systems matter even far from the fault line. For Florida residents who felt the tremor, the safest next step remained the same as it would after any quake, to stay alert for updates and check official guidance if aftershocks follow.