Venezuela earthquake: 6.2-magnitude tremor rattles northwest region; felt across Colombia

A strong 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck northwest Venezuela on Wednesday evening, rattling buildings and prompting people to evacuate homes and offices across several states and neighbouring Colombia , according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The epicentre was located about 24 kilometres east-northeast of Mene Grande in Zulia state, more than 600 kilometres west of Caracas, at a shallow depth of 7.8 kilometres, said the USGS. As per news agency AFP, the area around Mene Grande is sparsely populated, though it remains a critical hub for Venezuela’s oil industry. The quake was felt in major cities, including Caracas and Maracaibo, as well as across the border in Colombia. The Colombian Geological Survey measured the tremor at 6.1 and classified it as a “shallow depth”