The United States Geological Survey said a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck an area near the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday, with witnesses reporting tremors in the capital Caracas.
Residents rushed to evacuate buildings as they shook from the earthquake, and one witness told Reuters that cracks had appeared on the sides of the building in which they live.
The US tsunami warning system issued an alert of the possibility of powerful tidal waves hitting Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands following the earthquake.