Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela last night, the first with a magnitude of 7.2 west of the port town of Morón, followed by another earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers, in a disaster that coincided with a national holiday to commemorate a military victory in 1821 that paved the way for the country's independence from Spain.
Declaring a state of emergency
Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency in the country after at least 32 people were killed and more than 700 injured in the two earthquakes that hit the country, describing the situation as an accident with serious repercussions and prioritizing rescue operations.
Rodríguez confirmed the suspension of classes in all schools, the suspension of rail services, and the closure of the Maiquetia International Airport in the capital Caracas due to extensive damage to infrastructure and parts of the roofs of its stations.
In a related context, the mayor of Parrota, Darwin González, explained on platform X that 3 citizens were killed following the collapse of two buildings in the Las Minas area of the capital, pointing out that police and civil defense teams were deployed to provide assistance and withdraw those stranded, and accordingly it was decided to suspend non-essential work and school activities until next week.
Images posted by social media users showed parts of the roof of one of the airport's terminals falling and panicked people fleeing.
In Caracas, rescue operations began around collapsed buildings, where people were pulled from the rubble on stretchers, and in the capital's Altamira district, a 22-storey building was seen completely destroyed, as residents called out the names of their relatives and volunteers climbed piles of rubble to help search for those trapped.
US Body: Serious Consequences and Death Toll Likely to Rise
The US Geological Survey revealed that Venezuela was hit by a "double earthquake" followed by about 20 aftershocks, warning in a preliminary report that the disaster could have serious consequences and that the death toll is likely to rise significantly, suggesting that the death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000 people as a result of the widespread destruction and the destruction of an entire 22-story building in the Altamira neighborhood.
Sky News Arabia quoted seismologist Mahmoud Al-Qaryouti as warning of a strong possibility of further aftershocks above 6 or 6.5 degrees in the vicinity of the main earthquake up to 100 kilometers because the area is within the range of seismic belts and large tectonic plates.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabio said gas supplies had been cut off to several buildings as a precautionary measure to avoid fires, noting widespread power cuts and shattered glass scattered in the streets where residents flocked for fear of aftershocks.
Trump Offers Rapid Help to Venezuela
US President Donald Trump reiterated on Truth Social that the United States is ready and willing to provide quick assistance to Venezuela, noting that initial reports do not bode well and that the earthquakes have caused a horrific number of deaths.
The US State Department announced the formation of a team to manage the crisis and coordinate the dispatch of search and rescue teams and urgent humanitarian and medical assistance.
In the same international context, El Salvador's President Najib Bukele explained the readiness of 300 rescue personnel, medical personnel and 50 tons of aid to immediately head to Caracas, while Dominican President Luis Abiy Nader announced the departure of military teams specialized in search and rescue on Thursday morning, coinciding with similar offers of assistance from Brazil and other countries.
At the regional level, the Colombian Risk and Disaster Management Unit confirmed that the residents of the capital, Bogotá, felt the tremor despite its distance, denying that there was any risk of tsunamis on the Colombian Caribbean coast.
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