A strong earthquake has struck northwest of Caracas, Venezuela, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. According to the report, two series of tremors were recorded, first with a magnitude of 7.1, then 7.5, with the epicenter located at a depth of about 10 km.

The seismic event occurred 28 km from Montalban, in the area where several large oil refineries are located. The tsunami warning issued in the first minutes has been canceled. The tremors were felt in Caracas.

According to media reports, panicked residents were evacuated from buildings to the streets. Footage from the scene on social media shows damaged buildings. According to reports, many buildings are at risk of collapse, and search operations are underway for the injured.

The Venezuelan Ministry of Communications and Information reported that the earthquake was felt throughout the country. In turn, Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello called the situation in the capital Caracas’ Altamira neighborhood , where several buildings were destroyed, worrying.

At the same time, the USGS assessed the earthquake in Venezuela at the red alert level. This means that experts are considering the possibility of a large number of casualties and extensive damage.