Strong earthquake rocks Venezuela, Colombia

June 24 - A strong earthquake shook north-central Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, near capital Caracas, with residents in neighboring Colombia also reporting feeling tremors.

The earthquake registered at a magnitude 7.1 in Venezuela's Montalban, at a depth of 13 km, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Residents in Caracas rushed to evacuate as the quake shook buildings. One witness said that cracks had formed up the side of their apartment and glass in the entryway had shattered.

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands following the earthquake, adding that islands off the coast of Venezuela - Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire - could also be hit by hazardous waves. REUTERS