ORLANDO, Fla. - A rare earthquake with its epicenter off the coast of Cuba was felt more than 400 miles away in Central Florida. Monday's 6.1 magnitude earthquake happened in area that typically does not receive many earthquakes. In fact, this appears to be the strongest quake ever recorded in the Gulf. Strongest Gulf Earthquakes Typically, the most active and intense seismic activity in the region occurs further east towards Southeast Cuba, Haiti, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.