A powerful 7.1 magnitude earthquake near the coast of Venezuela triggered a tsunami alert. The earthquake struck late on Wednesday, June 24, causing vehicles to shake and buildings to sustain damage. Witnesses in the capital, Caracas, reported feeling tremors.
Residents hurried to evacuate buildings as the quake rattled structures, causing cracks to form on some buildings. The NWS Pacific Tsunami Warning Center reported that the earthquake occurred shortly after 10 pm at a depth of 10 kilometers. The center warned of possible hazardous tsunami waves within 300 km of the earthquake’s epicenter.
The alert indicated that coastal areas near Bonaire, Venezuela, Curacao, and Aruba could experience hazardous tsunami waves. The situation is ongoing, and updates will be provided. The NWS National Tsunami Warning Center confirmed that there is no tsunami threat for the U.S. east coast, Gulf of Mexico states, or the eastern coast of Canada.
Additionally, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake was detected with its epicenter located 42 kilometers east-northeast of Noda, Japan. Early information on the earthquake is being monitored for further developments.