164 killed in Venezuela after back-to-back earthquakes. What to know

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Back-to-back major earthquakes struck Venezuela's northern coast on June 24, collapsing buildings and raising fears of widespread casualties across the region.The two tremors, which hit less than a minute apart, triggered panic in the capital of Caracas as residents fled into the streets, while emergency crews searched through rubble for survivors. Early photos, videos and reports showed significant structural damage, including collapsed apartment buildings and debris-strewn roadways.Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed on June 25 that dozens of people were killed and hundreds of others were injured after the two major earthquakes. She noted that the number of deaths is expected to rise.Rescuers from other countries were expected to arrive in Venezuela overnight, according to Rodríguez. She previously declared a state of emergency in a brief address to the nation late June 24.The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) warned that "high casualties and damage are probable, and that the disaster is likely widespread." The agency said that aftershocks, including “some potentially with strong shaking,” may follow the two earthquakes.A tsunami threat was initially issued for Puerto Rico and the United States and British Virgin Islands, but was canceled after the danger passed, according to the U.S. Tsunami Warning System.Here’s what we know so far.Powerful earthquakes struck within secondsAt about 6:04 p.m. local time on June 24, a magnitude 7.2 foreshock occurred about 14 miles southeast of Yumare, Venezuela, data from the USGS showed. Yumare is a town located in the Yaracuy state, about 173 miles west of Caracas.The temblor – which was initially reported as a magnitude 7.1 – had a depth of about 12.6 miles and its epicenter was west of Morón, a town located on the country’s Caribbean coast, according to the USGS.About 39 seconds later, the USGS reported a second major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 that also occurred roughly 14 miles southeast of Yumare. The second quake had a depth of about 6 miles, and its epicenter was southwest of Morón.Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate. The USGS said the magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred as a result of "shallow strike-slip faulting near the complex plate boundary between the Caribbean and South American plates.""This event was the mainshock of a severe seismic doublet sequence, occurring just 39 seconds after an M 7.2 foreshock," the USGS said on its website. "A doublet sequence – defined as two earthquakes of similar magnitude that occur close in time and proximity – likely indicates a complex, rupture-interaction process."Dozens dead, hundreds injuredAt least 164 people were killed and nearly 1,000 others have been injured across the region, according to Rodríguez, who has been acting as the president of Venezuela since U.S. forces removed former President Nicolás Maduro.She said initially the worst-affected area was La Guaira state, near Caracas and home to the city's airport, which wasn't included in earlier death toll figures.At least three people were killed in the Baruta district in Caracas after two buildings collapsed, the district mayor said on social media. One person was killed, and four buildings had completely collapsed, Gustavo Duque, the mayor of the Chacao district in Caracas, told reporters. Twenty-two people had been moved to a hospital.In the coastal state of Falcon, Gov. Victor Clark said on state television that 22 people were injured and 15 people were missing."We have buildings, homes and houses which have collapsed and we are taking care of things with everything we have available in terms of security, civil assistance," Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state television.Magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocks Venezuela, triggering tsunami threatsA magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook north-central Venezuela, prompting a tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.Significant damage reported across the regionRodríguez said the earthquakes caused damage in several states. She later reported that dozens of buildings had collapsed in La Guaira."We are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save," she said in an appearance on state television just before 1 a.m. local time June 25. "I also want to say that this is a true tragedy. From here, we send our message of solidarity, and to those families who have lost loved ones, we reaffirm our condolences and our support in these difficult hours.”Simón Bolívar International Airport in the city of Maiquetía, near Caracas, was closed until further notice because of damage, Rodríguez said. School classes will be canceled nationwide for the remainder of the week, and rail services and non-essential activities have also been temporarily suspended.Fire trucks were seen on the streets of Caracas, where some buildings suffered significant damage, according to Reuters. At Caracas' Hospital de Clinicas, staff were asked to double up on the night shift to help treat the injured, a worker told the news agency.Witnesses reported feeling the shake in Caracas, Reuters reported. One witness said they were forced to evacuate as the earthquake shook buildings, while another reported that cracks formed on the side of their building, according to the outlet. Video footage showed emergency workers climbing into one collapsed building in the capital as night began to fall.US, other countries offer assistance in disaster responseRodríguez said she would request funds from multilateral organizations to back recovery efforts.Several international leaders, including Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Dominican Republic's Luis Abinader and Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, offered support and condolences. The U.S. State Department said it was in touch with Venezuelan authorities and mobilizing assistance.Jeremy Lewin, who is in charge of U.S. foreign assistance, said the Department of State has "already mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force to deliver and coordinate critical assistance to the Venezuelan people." He added that the United States will send search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies and other resources.In a post on Truth Social, President Donald Trump said the two earthquakes had "left a devastating number of deaths," without citing any official figures."The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths," the president said. "I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!!"Contributing: Reuters