La mayor extensión superficial de Cuba está relacionada con la sismicidad interior de la placa de Norteamérica. Este territorio se define en la Unidad Neotectónica Occidental con ~900 terremotos perceptibles (1492-2013). El valor de la magnitud máxima estimada es 6.2, años 1880 y 1914. Los terremotos más fuertes demuestran un periodo de recurrencia superior a 100 años. El conjunto de todos los eventos ha producido algunos muertos y heridos, pero mucho menos que los de la región suro- riental (~100). La actividad sísmica se justifica por la influencia dinámica del límite de placas Caribe-Norteamérica en las zonas de fallas y sus intersecciones.

La aplicación del método morfotectónico de Rantsman al territorio de Cantabria muestra su estructura contemporánea como parte de un macrobloque emergido y activo en la Península Ibérica. En este macrobloque Septentrional se delimitaron 2 mesobloques (Este y Oeste), con un total de 13 bloques, 10 morfoalineamientos de 2º- 4º órdenes y 10 intersecciones principales (orden / cantidad= 2º / 1, 3º / 4, y 4º / 5). El territorio tiene una manifiesta diferencia neotectónica con las regiones vecinas de Asturias y País Vasco, con independencia de su localización. Sus características indican una menor actividad, ante la influencia de los esfuerzos desde los Pirineos, el Cantábrico y el Atlántico. Existe una correspondencia directa entre el relieve y la estructura profunda, y con la sismicidad.

El modelo de celdas geodinámicas para la Unidad Sismotectónica Occidental de Cuba explica la ocurrencia de un terremoto de interior de placa (21.01.2015 / mb= 4.1 / h= 16 km / 22.216 N 81.422 W) en la Ciénaga de Zapata – Bahía de Cochinos. El evento sísmico principal está asociado al nudo K8, Bahía de Cochinos, donde dos fallas (Cochinos y Surcubana) existen.

La transmisión de esfuerzos, desde la zona de interacción convergente de placas en el Pacífico hacia el interior continental, ha determinado la actual configuración del plano morfotectónico del entorno mexicano. Ese proceso ha producido dos importantes zonas de deformación transversales, Puerto Vallarta y Oaxaca. Aplicando la metodología de Rantsman (1979) se ha determinado en el territorio emergido un mismo patrón morfoestructural y morfotectónico con ciertas modificaciones en Puerto Vallarta. Para la zona centro-oeste mexicana se distinguen 6 bloques, 29 microbloques, 6 alineamientos principales y 4 intersecciones principales de alineamientos. Estos elementos se ajustan a las zonas de mayor actividad y deformación neotectónica (~38000 km2), con un eje principal NO-SE. La misma técnica se aplicó a la región de Oaxaca, adyacente a Tehuantepec, donde hay 8 bloques, 25 microbloques, 8 alineamientos principales y 14 intersecciones principales de alineamientos. Este conjunto tiene una zona de deformación (~40000 km2) con eje principal E-O. El análisis de la sismicidad, las fracturas, los alineamientos, los cuerpos volcánicos y las velocidades de convergencia de las placas con los modelos obtenidos, permite considerar un movimiento de rotación anti-horario, vinculado a la microplaca Rivera para Puerto Vallarta; mientras que en Oaxaca existe un ajuste frontal en la convergencia directa de la placa Cocos, donde no hay rotación.

The paper presents some new data to confirm the existence and activity of the Guane fault. This is an intraplate active structure of the Western Neotectonic Unit of Cuba with similar to 100 earthquakes. It has a maximum magnitude value of 6.2 for a time period of occurrence of similar to 130 years. The tectonic mechanism of intraplate readjustments through faults and block rotations are responsible for the earthquakes on 01-23-1880 (San Cristobal, Pinar del Rio), 12-16-1982 (Torriente - Jaguey Grande, Matanzas), and 03-09-1995 (Pedro Pi - San Jose de las Lajas, La Habana). These three earthquakes can be explained by the transpression process of the Caribbean and North American plates at Swan and Oriente fault zones, and the stress transmission toward the Cuban mega-block.

En el megabloque Península Ibérica ocurrió un terremoto (23.02.2015). El evento es del tipo de interior de placa (Mw= 4,7 / h= 17 km), donde existe una zona de deformación morfotectónica. El epicentro y el mecanismo focal del tipo normal y deslizamiento lateral, fueron determinados en el bloque Albacete. Este último con tendencia al levantamiento dentro de los mesobloques Albacete y Cuenca.

Este trabajo es un estudio morfotectónico de la provincia de Guantánamo, en Cuba Oriental. Este territorio está en la parte meridional de la placa de Norteamérica y se diferencia, principalmente, por la actividad sísmica y el mecanismo de foco de los segmentos adyacentes de Santiago de Cuba, en la misma placa, y del Norte de Haití, en la placa del Caribe. En este marco tectónico cubano hay una celda geodinámica (C2) con movimiento horario, que incluye 8 bloques activos, 2 zonas de deformación costeras arqueadas y cóncavas (Cc1= Baconao-Bahía de Guantánamo y Cc2= Maisí), 2 zonas de articulación de morfoestructuras de 2º orden (IV y V), un escalón morfoestructural S-N (Punta Caleta-Punta del Fraile) y 3 zonas sísmicas (Baracoa, Guantánamo y Maisí), pero con menor nivel que en Santiago de Cuba y en Haití. El principal sistema de fallas lo constituyen 4 elementos activos de categoría: 1) Primero: falla Oriente (E-O, la más importante); 2) Segundo: falla Nortecubana; 3) Tercera A: falla Baconao; y 4) Tercera B: falla Purial. Las 3 últimas fallas tienen dirección NO y NNO. Se ha determinado, por primera vez, un tensor de esfuerzos (T1-2) NNE de tipo transpresivo para el segmento de Baconao-Guantánamo. Desde el punto de vista neotectónico, la zona es mucho menos activa que los territorios adyacentes de: 1) la Sierra Maestra y la Cuenca del Cauto, en Cuba Oriental; y 2) el N de Haití.

The work is a morphotectonic study of Guantánamo Province in Eastern Cuba. This territory is in the southern part of the North American plate. It differs mainly by seismic activity and the focal mechanisms of the adjacent segments of Santiago de Cuba, on the same plate, and the N of Haití, in the Caribbean plate. In this Cuban tectonic framework there is: a Geodynamic cell (C2) with clockwise movement, which includes 8 active blocks, 2 zones of coastal deformation arched and concave (Cc1= Baconao-Bahía de Guantánamo and Cc2= Maisí), 2 morphostructural articulation areas of 2nd order (IV and V), a S-N morphostructural escarpment (Punta Caleta-Punta del Fraile), and 3 seismic zones (Baracoa, Guantánamo and Maisí), but with lower level than in Santiago de Cuba and Haití. The main fault system is constituted by 4 active elements of 3 categories: 1) First: Oriente fault (E-W, the most important); 2) Second: Nortecubana fault; 3) Third A: Baconao fault; and 4) Third B: Purial fault. The 3 last elements have NW and NNW strikes. It has been determined, for the first time, a NNE tensor of efforts (T1-2) of transpressive type for the Baconao-Guantánamo segment. From the neotectonic point of view, the Guantánamo area is much less active than the adjacent territories of: 1) the Sierra Maestra and the Cauto basin, in Eastern Cuba; and 2) the N of Haití.

An alternative explanation to the seismoactivity of Cuban faults is presented. The model is a consequence of the interaction between Caribbean and North American plates. It is made with 12 geodynamic cells form by a set of 13 active faults and their 14 areas of intersection. These cells are recognized morpho-structural blocks. The area between Eastern Matanzas and Western Cauto-Nipe is excluded because of the low level of seismic information. Cuba has two types of seismogenetic structures: faults and intersection of faults.

Los territorios de Almeria y Jaen estan localizados en el sur de la Peninsula Iberica, zona oriental del contacto entre las placas de Africa y Eurasia. La aplicacion de la metodologia morfotectonica de Rantsman ha permitido delimitar tres macrobloques dentro del megabloque Iberico: Meridional (No 1), Suboccidental (No 2), y Costero (No 5), donde estan incluidos los dos territorios mencionados. En estos existen las siguientes cantidades de unidades territoriales de menor orden: mesobloques= 5, bloques= 37 (Almeria= 13 / Jaen= 24), microbloques= 96 (Almeria= 36 / Jaen= 60) y nanobloques= 367 (Almeria= 110 / Jaen= 257). Las alineaciones principales / intersecciones de esos alineamientos son para Almeria y Jaen, respectivamente: 29 / 26 y 52 / 57. En los mesobloques hay un importante numero de escarpes morfoestructurales, asi como modificaciones significativas de los cursos fluviales producidos por la tectonica nueva. La cantidad de fracturas principales disminuye significativamente desde la costa al interior de los mesobloques en las proporciones siguientes: Almeria= 0,33, Cordoba= 0,23, Granada= 0,42, y Jaen= 0,23. La actividad neotectonica de mayor nivel esta en la zona sur-central de Espana, particularmente en Granada. La relacion entre la sismicidad y las estructuras delimitadas en Espana se evidencia, principalmente, en la zona de Malaga-Almeria. Abstract Almeria and Jaen territories are located in the southern of Iberian Penynsula, at the western zone of African and Eurasian plates contact. The morphotectonic method using Rantsman’s criteria permits to find three macroblocks in the Iberian megablock: Southern (No 1), Southwestern (No 2), and Coastal (No 5), where both territories are located. There are also the following territorial units of low order: mesoblocks= 5, blocks= 37 (Almeria= 13 / Jaen= 24), microblocks= 96 (Almeria= 36 / Jaen= 60), and nanoblocks= 267 (Almeria= 110 / Jaen= 257). The main alignments / alignments’ intersections are to Almeria / Jaen, respectively, 29 / 26 and 52 / 57. In the mesoblocks exist a great quantity of morphostructural scarpments and stream net modifications associated with the neotectonics. The fractures density significally disminish from the coast to the inner mesoblocks as: Almeria= 0,33, Cordoba= 0,23, Granada= 0,42, and Jaen= 0,23. The largest level of neotectonic activity is situated in the south-central part of Spain, and Granada has the greatest. The relation between seismicity and delimited structures is evident in the Malaga – Almeria segment.

Tsunamis [the Japanese word for "harbor wave"] are gravitational sea waves produced by any large-scale, short-duration disturbances of the ocean floor, principally by shallow submarine earthquakes, but also by submarine earth movement, subsidence, or volcanic eruption. They are characterized by long periods [~5-60 minutes] and low observable amplitudes on the open sea, although they may pile up to heights of 30 m or more and can cause extensive damage on entering shallow water along an exposed coast, often thousand of kilometers from the source. In other words, tsunamis are water displacements produced by fault movement, whereas seismic waves are directly caused by the fault motion. Earthquakes are a clear manifestation of rock deformation. The general features of tsunamis are well known and have been discussed extensively in the literature. In order to clearly present the exposition, we define some specific terms in table 1. A further characteristic of tsunamis is that the fault in a sedimentary layer structure can generate a larger tsunami than a fault in a rigid structure. The study of tsunami deposits has only recently begun. Therefore, it is a good opportunity to get a more complete register of such phenomena. Tsunami waves as a long-period ocean wave have a very low speed in deep water, of about ~0.2 km/s and often slower near the coastline producing the refraction phenomena and the increment of wave height. In the ocean where the depth can be considered constant the velocity is estimated by the following expression [v=(gh)1/2, where v= speed [m/s], g= 9.8 m/s2, and h= ocean depth [m]]. Tsunamis triggered by an earthquake occur when a slab of oceanic crust descends near vertically along a fault, or where the vibration of a quake sets an underwater landslide into motion. Once formed, the tsunami advances across the ocean at speeds of 500 to >900 km/h. A tsunami can pass undetected in the open ocean because its height is generally around one meter, and the distance between wave crests [λ] is 100–700 km. In contrast, when a tsunami enters shallow water near the coast, it becomes a destructive wave that moves slowly with the water piling up to heights of ~30 m. Since the speed of a tsunami is greater in the deep sea, the direction of propagation of a tsunami traveling in an open sea of variable depth gradually veers toward the shallowest zone. This process is known as wave refraction, and it is an important parameter in tsunami modeling.

All available data on the January 23, 1880, earthquake near San Cristobal, Western Cuba, are compiled and presented here. The earthquake reached a maximum intensity of eight degrees (MSK) and caused three fatalities. It was accompanied by 65 aftershocks and was felt as far away as the Florida Keys. Twentieth century specialists has associated this event, in its day the strongest recorded (Ms = 6.2) in the region, with the Pinar fault. The Pinar fault is well expressed topographically as the boundary between the Guaniguanico Range in the north and an alluvial plain to the south. Most of the major damage caused by the earthquake was located on the alluvial plain, which in consequence has been considered the epicenter area. In the study presented here, the data compiled from the first reports of Father Benito Vines Martorell, S.J., and Pedro Salteraín y Legarra, indicate that the seismic structure was located in the alluvial plain, and that it was the Guane fault, and not the Pinar fault, that was responsible for the earthquake. The Guane fault, found below the alluvial sediments, extends NE-SW for over 110 km. Its eastern extreme, near San José de las Lajas (La Habana), is linked to another active fault which represents a seismoactive knot responsible for the earthquake of March 9, 1995 (I = 5 degrees, MSK). Seismic events of the Western Cuban region are related to the transpressive interaction of the North American and Caribbean Plates, damped by oceanic structures.

Damage and parameters of the earthquakes of October 14, 1800, September 18, 1826, and July 7, 1842, in Santiago de Cuba, in southeastern Cuba, have been studied. A quantitative re-evaluation of the size of the events is not feasible due to a lack of data. Hence, we have reinterpreted existing data to establish likely intensities and determine the epicentral region of occurrence. Available data do not permit accurate depth determinations. Intensities estimated from contemporary documentary sources give maximum values of 8, 8–9 and 8 (MSK scale), respectively. These seismic shocks were located in the Southeastern Seismotectonic Province of Cuba, Plate Boundary Zone Caribbean—North Atmerican. The earthquakes are associated with the Oriente fault system.

Puerto Rico is a relatively small sub aerial exposure of the Greater Antilles Arc. New morphotectonic analyses indicate that Puerto Rico is an emergent and tectoni- cally active macroblock at the northeast edge of the Caribbean-North American plate boundary. The delimited macroblock is asymmetric from the morphotectonic point of view, and consists of a northern mesoblock and a southern mesoblock. The northern mesoblock is larger and more tectonically active. The northern and south- ern mesoblocks include a total of 18 blocks, 31 microblocks and 55 nanoblocks. Ten major lineaments and 83 lineament intersections, 12 of which are the principal intersections, are identified within the northern and southern mesoblocks. The prin- cipal intersections are the most tectonically active part of the studied area, and indi- cate fault segmentation, block rotation and low seismic activity. All the quantitative and qualitative information and cartographic materials are on a GIS.

Se presenta un mapa de la isla La Espanola (escala original de 1:1,000,000) con los principales alineamientos y nudos. La informacion se obtuvo a partir de la aplicacion de transformaciones matematicas a los datos gravimetricos de un mapa de anomalias de Bouguer (densidad de capa intermedia de 2.67g/cm3), implementadas en un PC (empleado un SIG). Se determinaron 245 alineamientos, 25 zonas de alineamientos, 9 zonas de alineamientos principales y 8 nudos de zonas de alineamientos principales. Este cuadro neoestructural muestra el muy alto nivel de fracturacion de la corteza del territorio. Estan definidas dos grandes zonas gravimetricas, Occidental y Oriental, limitadas entre si por un alineamiento transverso-diagonal de direccion NE, que coincide con la direccion de la estructura de Beata. Las principales zonas de alineamientos corresponden a fallas activas. Ellas estan segmentadas. Se determino que la capa sismogenetica esta a unos 30km de profundidad

On August 20, 1852, an earthquake caused widespread destruction in the city of Santiago de Cuba and its surroundings. A comprehensive search for contemporary documentation was made. The information gathered was used for a detailed analysis of the damage from and characteristics of the earthquakes. Intensities were evaluated at 45 localities, and an isoseismal scheme has been drawn. Maximum intensity reached 8 degrees (MSK), and 6.4 was the estimated magnitude. Damage to the city of Santiago de Cuba has been studied in detail. The low quality of construction aggravated the damage. The total number of casualties was two dead and approximately 200 injured. The shock was felt within 80,000 km2. The epicenter was determined as 19.75º N, 75.32º W, h = 30 km. This study shows that contemporary Cuban documents must be studied with care in their historical and cultural background to avoid overestimating earthquake intensities.