Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within less than a minute on Wednesday evening, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said, shaking the capital Caracas and causing damage in several areas.
The USGS measured the quakes at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, putting them among the strongest seismic events globally so far this year. The second and stronger quake struck at a shallow depth of around 10 kilometres, increasing the risk of significant damage and possible casualties.
Tremors were felt in Caracas, where videos circulating on social media showed damaged buildings, with damage also reported at the city’s airport.
“We are dealing with an extremely alarming situation,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on television, adding that some buildings had collapsed and urging residents to take shelter.
He warned that aftershocks were likely and could cause further structural failures in already damaged buildings. Officials also ordered gas supplies to be shut off as a precaution to prevent explosions.
The epicentre of the first quake, which hit at 6:04 pm (2204 GMT), was located 24 kilometres east of San Felipe in north-western Venezuela at a depth of 21.9 kilometres, according to USGS data.
The second, stronger quake struck just a few kilometres further north. More than 400,000 people live in the nearby cities of Puerto Cabello and San Felipe, according to the USGS.