Powerful back-to-back earthquakes strike Venezuela, collapsing buildings and causing widespread damage

A powerful earthquake, initially measured at magnitude 7.1, struck near Venezuela's northern coast on Wednesday. The significant tremor caused buildings to shake across the capital, Caracas, leading residents to evacuate, with some initial reports indicating cracks in structures. The earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 17.6 miles southeast of Montalbán, at a depth of about 8.2 miles.

Following the seismic event, a tsunami advisory was issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. The advisory cautioned about the potential for dangerous sea level changes and strong ocean currents that could pose a risk along coastlines, beaches, harbors, and nearshore waters in the affected Caribbean territories.