Venezuela Hit by Two Powerful Earthquakes, Magnitude 7.5

Caracas. Two powerful earthquakes were felt in Venezuela's Caribbean coastal region on Wednesday evening with an interval of only 39 seconds. According to the US Tsunami Warning Center, the main earthquake in this series of seismic activity was 7.5 magnitude. Initially, an earthquake of 7.2 magnitude was reported, but after detailed analysis of seismic data, officials classified it as a foreshock before the main earthquake of 7.5 magnitude. The US Tsunami Warning Center has described this event as a 'seismic doublet'. This is a natural phenomenon or event where two large earthquakes occur in the same region within a short period of seconds. Correcting official records, the 7.5 magnitude earthquake is now registered as the main event. However, the tsunami warning issued for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands following this earthquake in Venezuela's coastal region was later rescinded by the tsunami warning system. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicenter of this earthquake was in Montalbán municipality of Carabobo state in central Venezuela, about 300 kilometers east of the capital Caracas. This earthquake, occurring at a depth of only 13.2 kilometers from the Earth's surface, is considered a shallow earthquake. Venezuelan authorities have not yet confirmed the extent of damage caused by this powerful earthquake. State media Venezolana de Television (VTV) reported through its Telegram channel, citing social media reports, that strong tremors were felt in various parts of the country, including Caracas, after 6 PM on Wednesday. VTV stated that official confirmation regarding potential damage is still awaited from Venezuela's seismic research institute (Funvisis). Previously, a similar large earthquake occurred in Venezuela in 2018, when a 7.3 magnitude earthquake centered in Sucre state affected at least 10 countries in the region, including Brazil, Guyana, and various Caribbean islands.