Back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, with a 7.1 quake west of Morón and a 7.5 quake a minute later. Buildings collapsed in Caracas, residents poured into the streets, and the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert
When the shaking started. Caracas resident Hector Ricci said it began “gently. ” then kept building until he and others had to leave their homes and gather outside. Minutes later. people were still there after sunset. watching dust drift through the air and looking at entire walls that had fallen—furniture exposed from the street.
The earthquakes hit Venezuela on Wednesday evening shortly after 6 p.m. local time, striking back-to-back and leaving residents across the capital visibly shaken. In Caracas. buildings swayed and collapsed in multiple areas. and dust columns could be seen in two neighborhoods where restaurants and other businesses typically stay busy.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the first quake measured 7.1 in magnitude. Its epicenter was west of the community of Morón, located along the Caribbean coast, about 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas. The quake’s depth was reported at 22 kilometers.
A minute later, the USGS reported an even larger 7.5-magnitude earthquake. That second quake was at a depth of 10 kilometers, with its epicenter 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón.
Together, the quakes rank among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the shaking was felt in several states. In Caracas’s Altamira neighborhood, he described “alarming situations” with collapsed homes and buildings. Cabello said the situation suggested injuries and urged motorists to make way for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
On state television, Cabello said officials were following protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts for those who need it most. He also told people to be careful with children and the elderly, to call each other, and to check that no one had been harmed.
He added that residents should stay outside because aftershocks could further damage some structures.
Caracas resident Roberto Gamas described the violence of the shaking. “The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” he said. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell.” Gamas said he was thankful they got out.
The tremors also triggered coastal warnings. The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert for the Virgin Islands. Authorities in the Dominican Republic issued a tsunami alert for the island, and an alert for Puerto Rico was quickly lifted.
Strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela. While the country sits near multiple fault lines. its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates makes earthquakes far less common than in other parts of Latin America. Along the Pacific coast—such as in Mexico and Chile—earthquakes are frequent. because both countries sit along the seismically active tectonic belt known as the “Pacific Ring of Fire. ” responsible for 90% of earthquakes. according to the USGS.
As evening wore on, people in Caracas remained on the streets, some sitting on the ground hugging their pets while dust gathered around them, waiting out the possibility of more shaking.
Venezuela earthquakes Caracas USGS tsunami alert Morón 7.1 quake 7.5 quake