Shallow 5.5 Quake Hits Venezuela

Powerful earthquake hits Venezuela creating wide cracks in the ground and walls, damaging homes and churches in pictures and videos

A shallow earthquake with a magnitude of 5.5 hit northern Venezuela early on Thursday, December 27, 2018, destroying streets, homes and churches. Among other aftershocks, a M5.0 followed half an hour later. Witnesses reported feeling the rumblings more than 100 km (60 miles) from the epicenter.

The quake was recorded 4 km northeast of San Diego at 0859 GMT at a depth of about 10 km.

“The whole house shook,” said a witness in Club de Campo, 102 km from the epicenter. And people rushed into the streets.

Another witness said the quake lasted five or six seconds.

There were no immediate reports of casualties but some significant damage was reported around the epicenter.

Here some more pictures of the consequences of the strong quake: