Venezuela is dealing with two deadly earthquakes, more than 700 injured so far | Stories About Earthquakes

At least 32 people have died and more than 700 have been injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, toppling buildings, closing the country’s main airport and sending residents onto the streets, officials said.

President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency late Wednesday after 7.2-magnitude and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck within a minute of each other near the coastal town of Morón, about 170km west of Caracas. He warned on Thursday that the death toll was expected to rise as rescuers searched for collapsed buildings and reached remote areas.

“The province of La Guaira is facing a real disaster and it has become a disaster area,” Rodríguez said, adding that many buildings had collapsed. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged people to stay away from homes damaged by multiple earthquakes and said gas had been cut off in some buildings to prevent fires.

Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas was closed due to “major damage” and metro services in the capital were suspended. Parts of Caracas lost power and telephones as people gathered outside for the night, many afraid to return home.

“It started slowly and slowly grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our homes,” said Hector Ricci, a resident of Caracas.

These earthquakes were felt as far away as Colombia and the Amazon region of Brazil. The United States and several Latin American governments, including Brazil, Mexico, Ecuador and Bolivia, have provided assistance in the search and rescue and relief efforts.

The two earthquakes are among the most powerful earthquakes to have occurred in Venezuela in more than 100 years, in a country where major earthquakes do not occur compared to other parts of Latin America.