Williston, Fla. (WCJB) – A 6.1 magnitude earthquake off the west coast of Cuba shook parts of Florida on Monday afternoon, causing minor damage to at least one home in Williston.<\/p>\n
Jim Freeman was resting at his home at the Cactus Island Nursery in northern Williston when the shaking began around 2 p.m.<\/p>\n
\u201cI started shaking in my chair almost like I was on a commuter train pulling into a stop, and the house kind of gently shook like jello and it lasted 10 seconds, 20 seconds, at least 30 seconds and I knew right away this has to be geological has to be an earthquake,\u201d Freeman said.<\/p>\n
Freeman said the earthquake caused damage to his home and chicken coop. He said he was surprised to be impacted from so far away.<\/p>\n
Dr. Ray Russo, a geophysics professor at the University of Florida, said the direction of the jolt depends on the direction the fault moves. In this case, the movement sent the energy toward Florida, causing shaking and minor damage in Williston.<\/p>\n
Russo said ground composition affects shaking intensity more than elevation.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo if you\u2019re on wet sediments something like you\u2019ll get more shaking than otherwise elevation wouldn\u2019t do it too much,\u201d Russo said.<\/p>\n
Officials with the U.S. Geological Survey reported the shaking in the area to be very little. Russo said the damage is surprising but said things happen.<\/p>\n
Russo said while rare, north central Florida tends to feel an earthquake every few years.<\/p>\n