Venezuela hit by small quake, no reports of damage
(Recasts, adds quake magnitude, details, background)
CARACAS, April 5 (Reuters) - Venezuela was hit by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake, authorities said on Sunday, though there were no reports of damage or harm to the OPEC nation's oil industry.
"Fortunately we have no reports of damage. We know many people are evacuating residences, overall in Caracas, we call on them to stay calm," Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami said in an interview with state television.
Venezuela's seismic authority said the quake's center was 17 km off the South American country's coast around 4 p.m. local time on Sunday.
An official with state oil company PDVSA said he had not received any reports of effects on the oil industry (Reporting by Brian Ellsworth, Patricia Rondon and Ana Isabel Martinez)
CARACAS, April 5 (Reuters) - Venezuela was hit by a 4.3 magnitude earthquake, authorities said on Sunday, though there were no reports of damage or harm to the OPEC nation's oil industry.
"Fortunately we have no reports of damage. We know many people are evacuating residences, overall in Caracas, we call on them to stay calm," Interior Minister Tarek El Aissami said in an interview with state television.
Venezuela's seismic authority said the quake's center was 17 km off the South American country's coast around 4 p.m. local time on Sunday.
An official with state oil company PDVSA said he had not received any reports of effects on the oil industry (Reporting by Brian Ellsworth, Patricia Rondon and Ana Isabel Martinez)
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