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Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, one of which sent players and spectators running from a baseball stadium as the ground shook.
Video shared on social media appeared to show fans rushing toward the exits while the stadium trembled.
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According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first earthquake was initially measured at magnitude 7.1. Less than a minute later, a second, stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck nearby.
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The epicenters were located near the coastal city of Morón, roughly 104 miles west of the capital of Caracas. Both earthquakes were shallow, increasing the intensity of shaking felt across a wide area.
According to the New York Daily News, the earthquakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.
“The earthquakes struck shortly after 6 p.m. local time. People evacuated swaying buildings in Caracas and remained outside, many visibly shocked as they saw entire walls that had collapsed, making furniture visible from the street,” the newspaper reported.
“Dust columns could also be seen in two neighborhoods of the capital, where restaurants and other businesses are typically busy. People remained on the streets after sunset. Some sat on the ground hugging their pets as dust gathered around them.”
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Authorities reported structural damage in parts of Caracas, including collapsed walls and damaged buildings. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged residents to remain outdoors where it was safe because aftershocks could further weaken damaged structures.
“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” Caracas resident Hector Ricci told The Associated Press.
Another Caracas resident, Roberto Damas, described the shaking.
“The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” Damas said. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Thank God we were able to get out.”
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The earthquakes were felt across much of northern Venezuela and into neighboring Colombia. Tsunami advisories were briefly issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands before being canceled after officials determined the threat had passed.
Officials continued assessing the full extent of the damage Wednesday night. The New York Times reports that neither the scale of the damage nor its human toll was immediately clear.
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