LEBAK PORTAL – On Wednesday afternoon local time, a large earthquake with a magnitude of 7.1 rocked the coast of Venezuela, triggering a tsunami warning and alert in the region.
According to the United States Geological Institute (USGS), the epicenter of the earthquake was located west of the coastal region of Moron, Venezuela, at a depth of about 10 kilometers.
The earthquake shaking was felt especially strongly in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, where residents ran out of tall buildings to save themselves.
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The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has issued a tsunami warning for the coastal areas of Venezuela, as well as the islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao which are part of the Dutch territory.
Additionally, a tsunami warning was issued for the United States territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with local authorities actively monitoring coastal wave indicators to detect unusual wave movements.
Civil defense authorities in Venezuela have been deployed to the most affected areas near the epicenter to assess infrastructure damage. Until now, there have been no reports of casualties due to the earthquake.
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Meanwhile, the US Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that there will likely be heavy casualties and severe damage in Venezuela, following a series of powerful earthquakes.
“The USGS assesses that there is a high probability of loss of life and damage, and the possibility of this disaster spreading. Aftershocks, some of which have the potential to be accompanied by strong shaking, are possible following this earthquake,” the USGS said in a statement.
Earthquakes of this category require a national or international response, the USGS added.
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Earlier the same day, the USGS reported that a 7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred 28 kilometers northwest of Montalban, Venezuela. Later, the USGS said there were two series of earthquakes with magnitudes 7.5 and 7.2.***
