Back-to-back powerful earthquakes have hammered Venezuela, collapsing buildings in the capital of Caracas.
The second quake struck with a magnitude of 7.5 and at a depth of 10km and its epicentre was 16km southwest of the city of Morón, Venezuela, according to the US Geological Survey.
Earlier, Venezuela was hit by a 7.1-magnitude quake with witnesses reporting tremors in capital Caracas.
The US Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands following the quake, adding that islands off the coast of Venezuela - Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire - could also be hit by hazardous waves.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the initial quake could be felt in several states, adding the Altamira neighbourhood in Caracas had “alarming situations” with collapsed homes and buildings.
He urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could further damage some structures.
Many Venezuelans were at home when the first quake hit, celebrating a public holiday commemorating an 1821 military victory which secured Venezuela's independence from Spain.
Residents in Caracas rushed to evacuate as the quake shook buildings.
Maria Romero, an 80-year-old pensioner on the south side of Caracas, said that the police helped her evacuate her building.
"This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967," she added.
According to videos from Reuters witnesses, fire trucks were on the streets in Caracas, and the facades of some buildings had suffered significant damage.
Many residents in Caracas lost power or internet service right after the quake.
One witness said that cracks had formed up the side of their apartment and glass in the entry had shattered. Power went down shortly after, the witness added.
"Several walls in my building broke open or cracks formed," a witness in Valencia, to the west of Caracas, told Reuters.
"As soon as it stopped (shaking) my husband and I evacuated."
with AP
