7.3 magnitude earthquake shakes northern coast of Venezuela

Reuters - A major earthquake of magnitude 7.3 struck the northern coast of 

Venezuela

 on Tuesday (August 21), the U.S. Geological Survey said, and shook buildings as far away as the capital, Caracas, witnesses said. There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage following an earthquake of magnitude 7.3 that struck the northern coast of the Caribbean country, Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said in an internet broadcast on Tuesday. The quake initially reported as a magnitude 6.7 and then 7.0, was centered near the town of Carupano. The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Centre said the quake, which was fairly deep, could cause small tsunami waves along the coast near the epicenter, 23 miles (37 km) southwest of the town of Carupano. A magnitude 7.3 quake is considered major and is capable of causing widespread, heavy damage, but the quake was 76.5 miles (123.11 km) deep, which would have dampened the shaking.