BARALT, Zulia — Thursday morning, a 5.3 magnitude quake was recorded near Mene Grande, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The tremor jolted at 06:55 UTC (02:55 local time), with its epicenter located approximately 19 km east of Mene Grande and a depth of 12 km. The magnitude was originally reported as 5.8 but later downgraded to 5.3.

Did you feel it?

If you felt the earthquake, you can submit a report via the USGS Felt Report form. 32 people have submitted responses through the agency’s online form, saying they felt the quake. Light shaking has been detected and people reported experiencing the tremor in several cities, including Chacao, Táriba, Ejido and Maracaibo based on the USGS DYFI report.

Impact and estimated losses

Yellow alert for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses. Some casualties and damage are possible and the impact should be relatively localized. Past yellow alerts have required a local or regional level response. Estimated economic losses are less than 1% of GDP of Venezuela. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused secondary hazards such as landslides that might have contributed to losses.

Structure information summary
Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though resistant structures exist. The predominant vulnerable building types are mud wall and adobe block construction.

Quakes past week

Last week, the area has experienced three quakes of magnitude 2.5 or above. The strongest, a 6.3 magnitude quake, rocked in the same region prior to this quake.

Source: The U.S. Geological Survey