Washington (EFE).- Two powerful earthquakes struck the Venezuelan Caribbean on Wednesday, just 39 seconds apart. The United States Tsunami Warning Centers reported that the seismic sequence was led by a magnitude 7.5 main event.
Authorities clarified that the first tremor, initially reported as a magnitude 7.2, was reclassified as a precursor to the 7.5 magnitude earthquake following seismic data analysis.
The US Tsunami Warning Centers explained that both tremors formed a «seismic doublet», a phenomenon where two major earthquakes occur in the same area within seconds of each other. Official records have been updated to identify the 7.5 magnitude earthquake as the primary event.
Additionally, the Tsunami Warning System canceled the alert issued for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands following the quake near the Venezuelan coast.
The epicenter was located approximately 300 kilometers east of Caracas in the municipality of Montalbán, Carabobo state, in Venezuela’s central region.
The earthquake occurred at a depth of 13.2 kilometers, classifying it as a shallow quake, according to the USGS.
Venezuelan authorities have yet to determine if the powerful quake caused significant damage, state broadcaster Venezolana de Televisión (VTV) reported.
«After 6:00 p.m. this Wednesday, June 24, a tremor of considerable magnitude was felt in Caracas and other regions of the country, according to social media reports,» VTV stated on its Telegram channel.
The broadcaster added that it is awaiting official confirmation from the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis) regarding potential damages.
The last comparable seismic event in Venezuela occurred in 2018, when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in Sucre state impacted at least ten countries in the region, including Brazil, Guyana, and various Caribbean islands. EFE
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