7.0 magnitude quake hits Venezuela, felt across the C’bean
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) — A 7.0 magnitude earthquake occurred off Venezuela on Tuesday evening and was felt as far as the Eastern Caribbean.
The quake, which occurred around 5:31 pm, was centred near the Venezuelan town of Guiria, and was felt as far away as the capital, Caracas, and far beyond. Residents of neighbouring Guyana, as well as Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines reported feeling strong shaking.
Witnesses reported seeing and feeling their homes and contents shaking as the tremor continued for as long as 15 seconds.
The University of the West Indies’ Seismic Research Unit measured the earthquake 6.8 at a depth of 73 kilometres, but the magnitude was later upgraded to 7.0 by the United States Geological Survey.
The position of the earthquake in Venezuela was placed at 55 kilometres east southeast of Carúpano, 95 km northeast of Maturín, and 131 km southeast of Porlamar.
