ORLANDO, Fla. – On Monday afternoon, many cities throughout Central 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).
[RELATED: News 6 speaks with Central Florida residents who felt the quake]
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, reports out of Central Florida include the following:
| Location | ZIP Code | Distance | No. of Responses | MMI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | 33897 | 703 km | 16 | III |
| Davenport | 33837 | 697 km | 26 | III |
| Plant City | 33567 | 645 km | 2 | III |
| Plant City | 33566 | 651 km | 3 | III |
| Sumterville | 33585 | 730 km | 1 | III |
| Lake Wales | 33898 | 678 km | 1 | III |
| Ocala | 34473 | 751 km | 1 | III |
| Tampa | 33635 | 634 km | 1 | III |
| Palm Bay | 32905 | 739 km | 4 | III |
| Palm Bay | 32909 | 725 km | 3 | III |
| Orlando | 32824 | 729 km | 1 | III |
| Orlando | 32827 | 734 km | 8 | II |
| Orlando | 32836 | 723 km | 5 | II |
| Orlando | 32828 | 751 km | 6 | II |
| Orlando | 32832 | 739 km | 4 | II |
| Lady Lake | 32159 | 754 km | 3 | III |
| Montverde | 34756 | 731 km | 1 | III |
| Clermont | 34714 | 709 km | 14 | III |
| Clermont | 34715 | 732 km | 7 | III |
| Apopka | 32703 | 745 km | 3 | III |
| Apopka | 32712 | 754 km | 4 | II |
| Kissimmee | 34741 | 717 km | 3 | III |
| Kissimmee | 34744 | 721 km | 5 | III |
| Kissimmee | 34747 | 709 km | 27 | II |
| Brooksville | 34613 | 692 km | 2 | III |
| Ocoee | 34761 | 737 km | 4 | III |
| Deltona | 32725 | 780 km | 1 | III |
| Dunnellon | 34432 | 750 km | 1 | III |
| Dunnellon | 34431 | 752 km | 2 | II |
| Satellite Beach | 32937 | 752 km | 2 | II |
| St. Cloud | 34769 | 719 km | 5 | II |
| Casselberry | 32707 | 756 km | 5 | II |
| Cape Canaveral | 32920 | 772 km | 3 | II |
Florida residents who believe they felt the impact of the earthquake can click here to report their experience to the USGS.
Meanwhile, Lake County evacuated the administration building in Tavares out of an abundance of caution and ordered structural inspections before allowing employees and the public back inside. A school board meeting also changed locations because of the closure.
Jeff Foley, communications director for Lake County, said people on upper floors described the sensation as “like they were on a cruise or like they were surfing.”
“Our public safety folks got us out of the building pretty quickly, and they’re not going to let people back in there until a structural inspection has been done,” he said.
Meanwhile, Clermont resident Ramona Kline said she was lying in bed watching TV when she felt what she described as a strange energy coming up through the floor.
“I felt something different underneath me. Not normal,” she said.
In Winter Springs, Nicole Constantini was sitting on the couch with her husband when she noticed objects moving.
“I started to feel shaking, so I was staring at him, wondering if he felt it, too.”