Magnitude 6.2 earthquake strikes Venezuela; strong shaking reported

A magnitude 6.2 earthquake has struck Venezuela, causing strong shaking in parts of the South American country, according to seismologists.

The earthquake struck at around 6:21 p.m. local time on Wednesday and was centered in northwest Venezuela, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It struck at a shallow depth of 7.8 km (5 mi).

The epicenter was located just southeast of the major city of Maracaibo, about 24 km (15 mi) from Mene Grande in Venezuela’s Zulia state.

According to USGS estimates, there is a probability of 10 to 100 deaths from the earthquake, along with the potential for significant damage.

Strong to very strong shaking may have been felt by nearly 230,000 people in the immediate area of the epicenter, while light to moderate shaking could be felt in the cities of Maracaibo and Barquisimeto.

Felt reports submitted to the USGS indicate the tremor was also felt as far away as Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, and across the border in Colombia.

“I was walking around in my house, then I felt like a wave under my feet and I saw everything moving,” said Roberth Romero, a resident near Barquisimeto.

Venezuela lies along the southern boundary of the Caribbean plate, where complex interactions with the South American plate create frequent seismic activity, according to the USGS. Major faults run across northern Venezuela, which has produced large and damaging earthquakes in the past.