A 6.2 -magnitude earthquake occurred in northwestern Venezuela at 18:22 on Wednesday afternoon (local time, 01:22 on Thursday in Greece), according to the US Institute of Geological Studies (USGS). From the earthquake, which was felt in the capital of Caracas, there were no casualties or ‘Significant material damage’as interior minister Dosdado Campbug said.

The epicenter of the earthquake lies 24 kilometers east-northeast of staying in Grande, in a sparsely populated area of ​​Soulia, near Lake Maracaibo, according to USGS. The focal depth is estimated at 7.8 kilometers.

For his part, Interior Minister Campbar cited the Venezuelan Seismological Institute (Funvisis): “It was a 5.4 -magnitude earthquake,” said Campbellion, ‘Without significant damage to buildings’ and this is due “In the quality of constructions in Venezuela”.

The geological service of neighboring Colombia said the earthquake was 6.1 degrees and was felt in the country and in some Caribbean islands.

The earthquake shook buildings in Karakas and Maracaybo, among other things, according to reporters from the French News Agency (AFP) and testimonies of residents.

Venezuela, where about 80% of the population lives in high -risk earthquake zones, has not experienced much earthquake from him in Kariakos in 1997, when 73 people were killed. In 1967 a 6.5 -magnitude earthquake in Caracas had claimed the lives of 283 people.