Venezuela Acting President confirms at least 32 dead and over 700 injured

On Wednesday evening, northwest Venezuela was struck by a rare and highly destructive "seismic doublet" two powerful earthquakes hitting just 39 seconds apart.

The first tremor registered at a magnitude of 7.2, quickly followed by a massive 7.5 magnitude main shock. Acting President Rodríguez confirmed a preliminary toll of at least 32 dead and over 700 injured. Officials have explicitly warned that these numbers are expected to rise significantly as rescue teams dig through the rubble of collapsed structures.

The earthquakes caused widespread destruction, particularly in the capital city of Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira. Multiple buildings have completely flattened, including high-rises in Caracas's Altamira and Los Palos Grandes neighborhoods. A nationwide state of emergency has been declared. Major infrastructure, including the country's main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport, has been closed due to heavy damage. Power grids and cellular telecommunication services are heavily disrupted across the impacted states.