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Powerful twin earthquakes that shook Venezuela killed at least 32 people and injured more than 700, interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday.
“At this time, we have received reports of 32 deaths” and “more than 700 injured,” Rodriguez said in an address to the nation, adding she did not yet have data on the “hardest-hit region” of La Guaira, located near the capital.
Venezuela’s interim leader had earlier declared a state of emergency as two massive earthquakes caused buildings in the capital to crumble and forced the closure of the country’s main airport.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km (100 miles) west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
