On the same day, the ground trembled in two countries on opposite sides of the world. In northern Japan, a 6.9 magnitude earthquake left people gasping, while in Venezuela, in South America, two violent tremors within moments of each other created scenes of destruction. The quakes in Venezuela proved far more dangerous than the one in Japan, bringing down buildings in the capital, Caracas.
A 6.9 Jolt in Northern Japan
The earthquake that hit the northern part of Japan on Thursday measured 6.9 on the Richter scale. Its tremors were felt across a large part of the country, including the capital, Tokyo. The sudden shaking startled residents, who rushed out of their homes in fear as cries rang out. The relief so far is that there has been no report of any loss of life or property, and no tsunami warning was issued.
According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), the quake struck near the coast of Iwate prefecture on the main island of Honshu. Its epicentre lay at a depth of roughly 50 kilometres below the surface.
In the aftermath, transport services were halted briefly and several Shinkansen bullet trains were stopped as a precaution. However, an initial inspection found no major damage to infrastructure. Residents in the worst-affected areas said the damage was only minor.
Two Quakes 39 Seconds Apart in Venezuela
The situation in Venezuela was far more alarming. According to local time, two powerful earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck on Wednesday evening just 39 seconds apart. The tremors brought several buildings crashing down in the capital, Caracas, raising fears of large-scale loss of life and property. The shaking was so strong that people fled their homes to save themselves. Several videos surfacing on social media are terrifying to watch.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said the first quake measured 7.2, followed exactly 39 seconds later by a second tremor of 7.5 magnitude. The data shows the two quakes, less than a minute apart, occurred about 45 kilometres from each other and at different depths. Along with buildings collapsing in Caracas, the tremors were felt in neighbouring Colombia. The videos that have emerged point to the possibility of heavy damage, though there is no report of any casualties so far.
