Portugal are based in Palm Beach Gardens as it gears up for its Group K opener against the Democratic Republic of the Congo at NRG Stadium in Houston. Expectations remain high for Portugal following their quarterfinal exit at the hands of Morocco in the previous tournament cycle, and preparations are expected to continue without disruption despite the brief geological scare.

The quake’s reach even extended into urban South Florida. In Miami-Dade County, precautionary evacuations were carried out in some government buildings, including a major downtown office complex. Commuter rail services on a couple of elevated lines were also briefly suspended as safety checks were conducted.

Some residents initially mistook the movement for everyday disturbances. In Fort Lauderdale, Maria Moncayo described noticing a small object on her desk swaying before realising the building itself was vibrating. Having previously experienced severe earthquakes in Ecuador, she briefly feared a repeat of past events before recognising the shaking as relatively mild.

“I have a little pendant dangling in my desk, and it was moving,” Moncayo said. “That’s why I realised that it’s actually not me or my chair or anything.”

In Cuba, the tremor was more strongly felt, particularly in western regions such as Pinar del Río. Hotel manager Flavia Pupo reported that guests and staff were startled but safe, with only momentary panic as buildings swayed.

Meteorological commentary added to the attention surrounding the event. Weather specialist Matt Devitt noted on social media that the quake ranked among the most significant recorded in the Gulf region based on available data, highlighting its unusual nature for the area.

Seismologist William Barnhart of the United States Geological Survey described the event as highly uncommon, noting that only a small number of earthquakes of comparable strength have ever been documented in the Gulf using modern instruments. He also pointed out that while aftershocks in the Cuban region were possible, Florida was unlikely to experience meaningful follow-up shaking.

“It’s one of only five or six earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater that we’re aware of in the entire Gulf,” Barnhart said.

“There’s always a very, very small chance that this could be followed by a larger earthquake, and people would feel that. But in Florida, people shouldn’t expect to feel very much shaking, if any shaking at all, from any aftershocks that happen,” he added.