Venezuela is racing to recover after two powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck late June 24, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 700, and triggering a wide international relief response as rescue crews dig through collapsed buildings and aftershocks continue to rattle the region.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the seismic events formed a “doublet” earthquake sequence.
The first, a magnitude 7.2 quake, hit Yaracuy state west of Caracas at a depth of about 22 kilometers. Roughly 39 seconds later, a stronger 7.5 magnitude quake struck at a shallower depth of around 10 kilometers, amplifying the destruction across densely populated areas.
The tremors rank among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century. Shaking was felt across Caracas and surrounding states including La Guaira, Aragua, and Carabobo, and reached into parts of neighboring Colombia.
Epicenters were reported near San Felipe and Moron.
