Venezuela has been thrown into mourning after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, killing at least 32 people and leaving more than 700 others injured.
The devastating tremors, which measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit the same region on Wednesday, causing extensive destruction in several communities, including the capital city, Caracas.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed the casualty figures during a nationwide address on Thursday and announced a state of emergency as rescue operations intensified across the country.
Authorities said one of the worst-hit areas was La Guaira, where emergency responders continued to assess the scale of the damage. Rodriguez also revealed that at least 20 aftershocks had been recorded since the initial quakes.
The disaster caused buildings to collapse, damaged critical infrastructure and forced the closure of Venezuela’s main airport. In Caracas’ Altamira district, a 22-storey building was reduced to rubble, with rescue teams and residents working tirelessly to locate survivors trapped beneath the debris.
Witnesses recounted terrifying moments as the ground shook violently.
“The stairs came away, the whole wall cracked. Things fell from the ceiling. It was horrible,” said Odalis Escalona, a 54-year-old bank employee.
Data from the United States Geological Survey showed that the first earthquake struck at 2204 GMT, with its epicentre located about 21 kilometres west of the coastal town of Moron. Just 39 seconds later, a stronger 7.5-magnitude quake hit roughly 45 kilometres away.
The USGS classified the event as a seismic doublet, explaining that the larger earthquake was preceded by a 7.2-magnitude foreshock less than a minute earlier.
