Powerful earthquake shakes Northwest Venezuela, tremors felt in capital

An earthquake of magnitude 6.3 hit the northwestern region of Venezuela, sending shocks across 100 kilometers of the region, as well as neighbouring Colombia.

This caused widespread terror, prompting evacuations. However, no major damages or casualties have been reported yet.

The epicenter of the quake was located approximately 27 kilometers (17 miles) from the town of Mene Grande in the state of Zulia.

The area is primarily known for Venezuela’s oil industry which may pose serious risks but as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it has a shallow depth of about 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) that caused no major destruction. 

A severe shaking is felt in the capital, Caracas, over 600 kilometers (370 miles) away, where individuals report that buildings are shaking, and many people are going out into the streets.

Colombian cities on the border as well as those on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire, also felt the shaking.

The Venezuelan authorities responded in a timely manner to calm people, despite widespread panic over the incident. Additionally, the Venezuelan geological agency had registered two seismic activities of magnitudes 3.9 and 5.4. The authorities confirmed that the disaster was not a tsunami.

Venezuela lies on the border of the Caribbean and the South American tectonic plates, and nearly 80% of the population lives in the active seismic regions. 

Although mini tremors are common in the country, major earthquakes are relatively rare. 

The most recent quake to claim life in the country was in 1997 in the eastern state of Sucre, resulting in 73 deaths.

In 2018, a more powerful 7.2 earthquake struck off the North coast with no serious damage to the ground.