Powerful earthquak strikes Venezuela

CARACAS, June 25 (YPA) –  A powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake shook Venezuela on Wednesday evening, collapsing buildings in the capital of Caracas and triggering the government to declare a state of emergency.

State television reported, citing the interior minister, that several buildings in the capital, Caracas, sustained damage and partially collapsed following the strong tremor.

The interior minister urged residents to remain outdoors and avoid entering buildings, warning that earthquakes of this magnitude are often followed by aftershocks.

The quake occurred at 18:04 local time, with its epicenter located 56 kilometers from Valencia in northern Venezuela, a city of more than 1.6 million residents.

International agencies reported differing estimates of the earthquake’s depth, with the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre placing it at 35 kilometers, while the US Geological Survey estimated a shallower depth of around 13 kilometers.

Following the quake, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert for Virgin Islands. Authorities in the Dominican Republic also issued one for the island. Another alert for Puerto Rico was quickly lifted.

@E.Y.M