Magnitude 6.4 Quake Strikes Offshore Aragua, Northern Venezuela
An earthquake measuring 6.4 Mw struck offshore Aragua, northern Venezuela about 100 km west of Caracas, the Venezuelan capital at a depth of 10 km on Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 20:06 UTC, according to USGS/EHP.
NOAA/NWS/West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center issue the following Tsunami Information Statement on 09/12/2009 at 4:15PM AST:
A strong earthquake has occurred, but a tsunami IS NOT expected along the coasts of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, U.S. Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico states, and Eastern Canadian provinces. NO tsunami warning, watch or advisory is in effect for these areas.
Based on the earthquake location, magnitude, and historic tsunami records, a damaging tsunami IS NOT expected along the Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, U.S. Atlantic, Eastern Canadian and Gulf of Mexico coasts.
USGS/EHP had again downgraded their original reading from 7.0 to 6.4Mw.
Venezuelan Interior Minister reported that two people had received major leg injuries, with 12 others suffering less serious injuries as a result of the damage caused by the quake.
Venezuela’s emergency services chief, Luis Diaz Curbelo, reportedly said the quake was felt across the country.
At least seven people were injured and several buildings were damaged in the NW state of Falcon, the worst hit area, he said.
Another report said the parts of the capital and several other regions were left without electricity.
10-degree Map Centered at 10°N,70°W

Earthquake Location. Source of Original map: USGS
Seismic Hazard Map

Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green
Historic Seismicity

Major Tectonic Boundaries: Subduction Zones -purple, Ridges -red and Transform Faults -green
Earthquake details
- Magnitude: 6.4
- Date-Time:
- Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 20:06:25 UTC [ Saturday, September 12, 2009 at 08:06:25 PM at epicenter]
- Location: 10.757°N, 67.847°W
- Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles)
- Region: OFFSHORE ARAGUA, VENEZUELA
- Distances:
- 35 km (25 miles) NNE of Puerto Cabello, Venezuela
- 60 km (35 miles) NNE of Valencia, Venezuela
- 100 km (65 miles) W of CARACAS, Venezuela
- 2115 km (1310 miles) SE of Miami, Florida
- Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 5.4 km (3.4 miles);
- Parameters: NST=197, Nph=197, Dmin=806.2 km, Rmss=1.12 sec, Gp= 36°, M-type=teleseismic moment magnitude (Mw), Version=7
- Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
- Event ID: us2009llbc