Two strong quakes, of magnitude 6.0 and magnitude 5.8, struck central Colombia, the US Geological Survey has said.

Buildings shook as the quakes hit.

The epicentres were very close to each other, about 93 miles south of the capital Bogota, and were very shallow, which would have amplified their effects.

A magnitude 6.0 earthquake is considered strong and is capable of causing severe damage, however, the area is not densely populated.

The quakes struck in the Caribbean Sea near the island of Providencia and about 19.9 miles from Mountain, Colombia, according to the survey.

The National Tsunami Warning Center said the earthquakes were not expected to generate a tsunami.

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The region of the epicenters is home to agriculture and oil activities, but the country's disaster management agency said on its Twitter account it had not yet received any reports of damage.

A spokesperson for state-run oil company Ecopetrol, which has much of its infrastructure in the country's eastern plains, said all installations were operating normally.

Earthquakes are relatively frequent in Colombia.