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Venezuela was rocked by two powerful, back-to-back earthquakes Wednesday night. The first had a magnitude of 7.2 and was centered around an area about 15 miles northeast of San Felipe, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. It’s depth was listed at about 14 miles. The agency said the second earthquake came nearly 40 seconds later and was slightly larger, with a magnitude of 7.5 and centered about 15 miles southeast of Yumare. It’s depth was listed at about six miles, according to the agency. The quakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century, according to the Associated Press.
What do we know about casualties? As of Wednesday night it was too early to determine the full extent of injuries, but videos and images shared on social media appeared to show buildings shaking during the quakes, as well as scenes of damage, including collapsed homes.
What about Japan? In an apparently unrelated event, a magnitude 6.9 earthquake took place off the coast of Japan less than 30 minutes after the Venezuelan quakes. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake took place in the ocean, just over 20 miles northeast of Kuji. It’s depth was at about 32 miles. Similar videos showing shaking buildings emerged in the wake of that quake. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said there were no tsunami warnings and asked the public to remain vigilant for aftershocks, according to a report by The Japan Times. As of Wednesday night, it was too early to get a full assessment of casualties.