CARACAS, (Reuters) – Venezuela was hit by a 4.3  magnitude earthquake, authorities said yesterday, 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 yesterday.