7.3-magnitude earthquake strikes Venezuela

Aug. 21 (UPI) -- A magnitude-7.3 earthquake struck off the coast of Venezuela on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The quake's center was located near the town of Guiria and tremors were felt as far as the capital of Caracas, about 286 miles away.

It struck at 5:31 p.m. and had a depth of about 76.5 miles, the USGS said.

No tsunami advisories were immediately reported.

Venezuela's interior minster, Néstor Luis Reverol, wrote a tweet encouraging the people of Venezuela to remain calm, adding there hadn't been reports of any victims.

He also shared photos of the abandoned financial center, known as the Tower of David, in Caracas was damaged, causing the top five floors to slant on a 25-degree incline.

The surrounding areas were evacuated as a precaution, Reverol said.