A 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook west and north Venezuela on Wednesday, the US Geological Survey said.
What do we know so far?
There were no immediate reports of any casualties or serious damage.
The epicenter of the earthquake was located at a depth of 7.8 kilometers (4.8 miles) some 24 kilometers (15 miles) from Mene Grande.
Some 600 kilometers west of Caracas, Mene Grande is an oil town in a sparsely populated area of the state of Zulia.
Venezuela is the country with the world's largest proven crude oil reserves, estimated at approximately 303 billion barrels as of 2023-2024, significantly more than other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Canada.
Are strong earthquakes common in Venezuela?
Strong temblors are not common in Venezuela, but Wednesday's quake shook buildings and caused alarm in cities including Caracas and Maracaibo.
The Colombian Geological Survey measured the tremor at 6.1 and categorized it as a "shallow depth" event in Mene Grande, but the quake was also felt in neighboring Colombia, as well as the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire.
