Venezuela has declared a state of emergency following two consecutive earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, which have killed at least 32 people and injured around 700, according to acting President Delcy Rodriguez.

The quakes struck at 6:04 p.m. local time (22:04 GMT) on Wednesday, as the country was commemorating a national holiday marking the 1821 Battle of Carabobo. The government immediately mobilized emergency services and closed the main airport in Caracas.

The worst damage was reported in the capital, Caracas, particularly in the Altamira and El Paraiso districts. A 22-story building collapsed, and rescue crews are searching through rubble for survivors. Authorities say the full extent of the damage is still being assessed.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) warned that “high casualties and extensive damage are probable.” US regime leader Donald Trump claimed the quakes caused “a devastating number of deaths,” and his administration purportedly offered to send search and rescue teams and medical supplies.

The earthquakes originated in Yaracuy state, west of Caracas. The first, a magnitude 7.2 quake, struck at a depth of 22 km (14 miles), followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 quake at a depth of about 10 km (6 miles). Tremors were felt in neighboring Colombia and as far as Brazil’s Amazon region.

The USGS statistical assessment gives a 39% probability of fatalities reaching between 1,000 and 10,000, and a 37% probability of 10,000 to 100,000 deaths. Officials expect the death toll to rise as search and rescue operations continue.

Several countries in the Americas have expressed solidarity and offered assistance. The US regime stated it is ready to help, while El Salvador, Ecuador, Panama, Mexico, and Brazil also pledged humanitarian aid.

Source: www.aljazeera.com