An earthquake rocked eastern Cuba on Sunday, shaking buildings in Santiago de Cuba, the island’s second-largest city, and the surrounding countryside.

The quake, which the US Geological Survey listed as magnitude 6.8, struck Cuba’s southeastern coast in Granma province near the municipality of Bartolome Maso, where former Cuban leader Fidel Castro had his headquarters during the Cuban Revolution.

“There have been landslides, damage to homes and power lines,” said Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel on X. “We have begun to assess damages...the first and essential thing is to save lives.”

Reuters spoke with several area residents who reported the quake felt as strong as any in their lifetimes.

Homes and buildings shook violently, they said, and dishes, glasses and vases rattled off shelves.

“We’ve felt earthquakes in the past, but nothing like this,” said Santiago resident Griselda Fernandez by telephone.

Many of the region’s homes and buildings are older and vulnerable to quake damage.