Move FM Global News

CARABOBO, Venezuela – The northern coast of Venezuela was jolted by a powerful magnitude 5.6 earthquake on Thursday.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake was recorded shortly before 5 a.m on Thursday morning (local time).

It said that the quake struck about 2 miles northeast of San Diego, Venezuela, at a depth of about 6 miles.

A short while after the quake struck, the U.S.G.S. revised the magnitude, adjusting it to magnitude 5.5. 

However, the Venezuelan Foundation of Seismological Research said that the earthquake was less powerful than reported by the U.S.G.S.

The agency said that the epicentre of the quake was located at a depth of 12 kms, northwest of the town of Valencia in the state of Carabobo.

The Venezuelan Foundation of Seismological Research announced that the quake was recorded at 4.9 on the Richter Scale.

Local reports noted that the quake was felt by people more than 100 kms from the epicentre and even in the capital Caracas.

Videos also emerged on social media, which showed people running out of their homes in panic after feeling the jolt.

Further, some photos posted online showed large cracks in buildings and debris from walls in San Diego being torn apart and covering roads.

Later, officials in the country said that the quake was felt across seven states.

According to both the agencies, the area was struck by another quake, 25 minutes after the first jolt.

The U.S.G.S. reported that the second quake was recorded in the same area at magnitude 5.1.

Venezuela’s Interior Minister Nestor Reverol confirmed that there were no major damages or casualties following both the earthquakes.

Previously, in August, Venezuela witnesses its strongest earthquake in more than a century. 

The country’s northern coast was struck by a powerful 7.3 magnitude earthquake, that was felt several miles away from the epicentre, in neighbouring Colombia and Guyana.