A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, shaking buildings and homes in the capital Caracas.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake’s epicenter was located about 17 miles (28 kilometers) west of the community of Moron, located along the country’s Caribbean coast, about 104 miles south of Caracas.
The depth of the earthquake was 13 kilometers.
USGS data previously reported the quake had a magnitude of 7.1.
Shortly thereafter, a second, even larger, magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck the same area. This earthquake was at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Follow our live coverage here.
Video footage shows extensive damage
Video footage shows emergency workers climbing into the ruins of a collapsed building in the capital as night falls.
Many Venezuelans were at home and celebrating a public holiday commemorating the 1821 military victory that gave Venezuela independence from Spain when the earthquake struck.
Residents of the capital, which was rocked by a deadly earthquake in 1967, rushed to evacuate as the quake shook buildings.
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami warning for the Virgin Islands. Dominican Republic authorities also issued one for the island. Another alert for Puerto Rico was immediately lifted.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Edited by: Roshni Majumdar