CARACAS, June 26 (Xinhua) -- Over 20 aftershocks have been recorded in Venezuela since two powerful earthquakes struck the country's north-central region on Wednesday, the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis) said on Thursday.

Funvisis said the tremors, ranging in magnitude from 2.1 to 3.6, had been recorded over the last five hours.

Most of the aftershocks were centered in the northern coastal state of La Guaira, affecting the town of Naiguata and parts of Vargas municipality, according to the agency.

The aftershocks followed two strong earthquakes that struck Venezuela less than a minute apart on Wednesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said. The first, with a magnitude of 7.2, was centered near Moron in Carabobo state, while the second, measuring 7.5, struck near Montalban.

Venezuela experiences frequent seismic activity because it lies along the boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, where accumulated geological stress is periodically released through earthquakes, according to experts. ■