A tsunami warning has been issued for Venezuela following a powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake near the coastline. The earthquake occurred late on Wednesday, June 24, causing visible shaking of vehicles and structural damage in some buildings as captured in social media footage.
Reports from witnesses in the capital city of Caracas described feeling tremors, prompting residents to evacuate buildings as the quake rattled structures. One witness recounted the formation of cracks along the side of their building. The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center indicated that the earthquake hit around 10 pm at a depth of 10 kilometers, potentially generating hazardous tsunami waves within 300 kilometers of the epicenter.
The warning specifically highlighted the possibility of dangerous tsunami waves affecting coastal areas near Bonaire, Venezuela, Curacao, and Aruba. Updates on the situation are expected as it unfolds. The NWS National Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that there is no tsunami threat to the U.S. east coast, Gulf of Mexico states, or the eastern coast of Canada.
Additionally, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake was detected with the epicenter located 42 kilometers east northeast of Noda, Japan. Initial details on the earthquake are being monitored for further developments.