Venezuela: Two powerful earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, prompt emergency declaration

Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes on Wednesday evening, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, causing buildings to collapse and triggering scenes of panic in the capital, Caracas. The interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, promptly declared a state of emergency in response to the disaster.

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for grave damages to the infrastructure

The seismic activity, which included 20 aftershocks, also led to the closure of the Maiquetia international airport, serving the capital, due to significant infrastructure damage. Rodriguez announced the airport's closure during a televised address.

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double event

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported the first tremor occurred at 22:04 GMT at a depth of 21.9 km, approximately 200 km west of Caracas. A second, stronger quake of magnitude 7.5 struck 39 seconds later at a depth of 10 km, about 45 km away. The USGS described it as a "double event" and a "catastrophe that should have considerable magnitude," predicting heavy casualties and extensive damage.

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catastrophe that should have considerable magnitude

In Caracas, emergency services were seen working around collapsed buildings, extracting individuals on stretchers and transporting others to ambulances. The Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, confirmed the collapse of several buildings in the capital and ordered a halt to gas supplies to prevent accidents. Power outages were also reported in the capital. The tremors were felt as far as Bogota, Colombia, over 1,000 km away, but the Colombian geological unit stated there was no risk of a tsunami on the Caribbean coast.

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It is probable that the toll will be heavy and the damage significant