32 Killed and more than 700 injured as high-magnitude twin earthquakes hits Venezuela

Venezuela: Two back-to-back earthquakes of 7.5 and 7.2 magnitude struck Venezuela, killing 32 people, injuring 700 and causing massive destruction across the communities. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez declares a state of emergency as several buildings in the capital collapsed and many people are trapped in the rubble.

The main airport of the country has also been suffering from extensive damage and destruction, leading to its closure.

President Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency informing that the most affected state of this seismic phenomenon is the state of La Guaira.

“I must inform you that the most affected state by this unprecedented seismic phenomenon is the state of La Guaira. There are dozens of collapsed buildings and we are currently engaged in very arduous rescue efforts to save the lives that God allows us to save,” she said.

The president declared the situation as a “true tragedy” and sent condolences to the affected people. Gas supplies are shut off as a safety precaution as the authorities assess the quake’s damage. Rescue operations are ongoing to find people trapped in the rubble of collapsed buildings. According to reports, the internet connectivity of Venezuela has also significantly dropped after the massive tremors.

The most affected states of Venezuela include the capital city Caracas, Mirinda state, La Guaria state, and the Aragua, Falcon and Carabobo states that have suffered severe damages while the tremors were also felt in parts of Colombia and Brazil.

Many countries and international figures are offering assistance in rescue operations and donations while others have expressed condolences.

US President Donald Trump promised to send assistance as Secretary Jeremy Lewin confirmed the US is deploying a disaster assistance team, task force, search and rescue teams, and medical supplies. While other countries including El Salvador, Ecuador, Chile, Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Bolivia, Colombia have also expressed grief and offered to help.

The government officials of India, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Mexico have shared deep condolences saying that they regret the damage and impacts caused by the seismic disaster.

According to the USGS, the twin earthquakes originated in Yaracuy state, west of Caracas and a magnitude 7.2 quake struck at a depth of 22km. In less than a minute, an even higher magnitude 7.5 quake at a depth of about 10km followed.

The epicenters of the twin quakes were outside the capital but the shaking was felt across Caracas and in central and western Venezuela, including the states of Carabobo, Miranda, La Guaira and Trujillo.

People in Caracas remained in the streets hours after sunset fearing aftershocks. The acting President Rodriguez earlier informed that at least 20 aftershocks were recorded in Venezuela.

In recent developments, Venezuelan authorities have announced that some schools will be turned into emergency shelters amidst the tragedy. The Ministry of Education announced the suspension of classes nationwide and said that the schools will be transformed into emergency relief centres and shelters for affected families.