Large Earthquake Off Northern Venezuelan Coast
Users in social networks have reported that they felt the earthquake in several states of the country, among them Sucre, Carabobo, Lara, Bolívar, Anzoátegui, Valencia and Portuguesa.
An official statement released by The Venezuelan Foundation of Seismological Research partly states:
"The Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis), entity attached to the Ministry of Popular Power for University Education, Science and Technology (Mppeuct), informs the population that today August 21, 2018 at 5:31 pm local time an earthquake was recorded of magnitude 6.3 to 19 km southeast of Yaguaraparo, and with a depth of 0.1 km.
Funvisis recommends keeping calm since acts of this nature are normal in Venezuela since we live in a seismic country. We are in an important and complex geodynamic context due to the interaction between the Caribbean plate and the South American plate, which originates seismic activity in the national territory.
The zone of greatest seismic activity in our country corresponds to a strip of about 100 km wide, defined along the mountain systems of the Andes, the Cordillera Central and the Cordillera Oriental, places in which the main systems of seismogenic failures of the country: Boconó, San Sebastián and El Pilar; to which other minor active systems such as Oca-Ancón, Valera, La Victoria and Urica are added.
Funvisis urges the Venezuelan population to promote a seismic culture with the aim of reducing the vulnerability of our buildings and structures, since earthquakes are events that occur without prior notice, which is why we must be prepared to face them."
