The Venezuelan capital has been shaken by huge back-to-back earthquakes, with authorities issuing a tsunami warning across the Caribbean.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first termor registered at 7.1 magnitude and at a depth of 13 kilometres.
Caracas locals were seen rushing out of buildings as the quake rocked their homes.
One witness said that cracks had formed up the side of their apartment and glass in the building had been shattered.
Authorities have issued tsunami threats for Venezuela, Aruba and Bonaire.
Advisory threats have also been issued to Puerto Rico and the British Virgin Islands, according to the US Tsunami Warning System.
The USGS has reported the epicentre is roughly 17 miles west of the Moron community on the country’s Caribbean coast.
It is currently unknown whether any casualties have occurred as a result of the quake.
Caracas residents were seen rushing out of buildings as the tremors erupted
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Residents in neighboring Colombia have also reported feeling tremors.
In the country's capital, Bogota, a number of residents have been evacuated as a precaution.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told state media that buildings have collapsed in Caracas after the earthquake.
Maria Romero, an 80-year-old pensioner, living in the south of the city, said she was helped out of her building by police officers.
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It is currently unknown whether any casualties have occurred as a result of the temblor
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She said: "This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967."
When the quake hit, many Venezuelans were at home celebrating a public holiday commemorating an 1821 military victory which saw the country gain independence from Spain.
Videos shared across social media have shown firefighters flooding the streets of Caracas and significant damage to a number of buildings can be seen.
Another witness living in the west of the city said that a number of walls in her building had burst open, with cracks forming across the outside of her home.
Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello told state media that buildings have collapsed in Caracas after the earthquake
| GETTY"As soon as it stopped (shaking) my husband and I evacuated," she added.
The earthquake is believed to be one of the strongest earthquakes in the country's history.
In 1967, around 300 people died and 1,536 were left injured after a 6.6 magnitude shake struck Caracas.
The natural disaster caused an estimated $140million (£106.1million) worth of damages and triggered four major apartment buildings to collapse.
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