CARACAS, June 25: Venezuela has declared a state of emergency after two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck the country’s Caribbean coast within seconds of each other, causing widespread destruction and panic.
At least 32 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 700 others were injured, according to interim President Delcy Rodríguez. The rare back-to-back quakes shook the capital city of Caracas and several other regions, collapsing buildings, damaging infrastructure, and forcing thousands of residents to flee into the streets.
Rescue teams continued searching through rubble on Thursday as fears grew that the death toll could rise. Authorities reported dozens of aftershocks following the main earthquakes. The country’s main airport was temporarily closed, schools were shut, and emergency services were placed on high alert.
International aid and rescue assistance have begun arriving as Venezuela faces one of its most destructive natural disasters in recent years. The U.S. Geological Survey warned that the disaster could have severe humanitarian consequences due to the scale of the damage across affected areas.