Series of strong earthquakes rattle Venezuela, Colombia

A series of strong earthquakes rattled portions of Venezuela and Colombia in South America on Wednesday and Thursday, sending residents fleeing homes and businesses due to fears that the shaking could cause structures to collapse.

At least four earthquakes ranging from magnitude 6.3 to 4.9 were reported in at least two Venezuelan states, Zulia and Trujillo, starting Wednesday night.

The most recent earthquake was reported early Thursday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

Tens of thousands of people across the region reported feeling the shaking, including in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries, but damage assessments in some communities are underway.

One video shared from Venezuela showed people working at a restaurant talking among themselves and listening to music before the shaking began.

At first, there was some confusion as the shaking was on the lighter side.

However, the shaking became more intense, and the workers could be seen quickly exiting the building.

Another video showed a man playing video games and appearing to be confused as light shaking began.

You can then hear items begin to rattle inside the apartment, and the man quickly stops playing his game and moves toward the door.

He then shows the scene outside, with people shouting about the shaking.