On Wednesday evening, two earthquakes struck Venezuela, with the first measured at a magnitude of 7.1 and the second at 7.5 occurring less than a minute later. The epicenters were located near the coastal city of Morón, approximately 104 miles west of Caracas. Video footage showed players and fans evacuating a baseball stadium as the ground shook.
The earthquakes, among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century, prompted evacuations in Caracas, where residents reported visible structural damage, including collapsed walls. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello advised residents to stay outdoors due to potential aftershocks.
Witnesses described the intensity of the shaking, with one resident stating, "The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong." The tremors were felt throughout northern Venezuela and into Colombia. Tsunami advisories were briefly issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands but were later canceled. As of Wednesday night, officials were still assessing the extent of the damage.