A devastating double earthquake has left Venezuela reeling, with rescue teams racing against time to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
According to AFP, at least 32 people have died and more than 700 others have been injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within minutes of each other on Wednesday evening.
The twin tremors caused widespread destruction across several regions of the South American nation.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez warned that the death toll could rise as emergency teams continue searching through rubble and gain access to some of the worst-hit areas. The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck shortly after 6pm local time, making them among the strongest seismic events to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
In response, Rodríguez declared a nationwide state of emergency, saying multiple states had suffered extensive damage. She noted that official casualty figures did not yet include the coastal state of La Guaira, which was among the hardest-hit regions.
"Dozens of buildings have collapsed there, about 30 kilometres north of Caracas, and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives," Rodríguez said.
State broadcaster VTV aired dramatic footage of rescuers pulling three children alive from the rubble in La Guaira. Though covered in dust, the children appeared unharmed.
Authorities also confirmed damage to a hospital in Tucacas, a city northwest of Caracas.
The earthquakes disrupted key services across the country. Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela's main airport, was forced to shut down due to damage, while subway operations and natural gas services in Caracas were suspended.
Schools will remain closed for several days, with some learning institutions converted into temporary shelters and relief collection centres.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the first earthquake struck off Venezuela's Caribbean coast near Morón at a depth of 22 kilometres. Just one minute later, a stronger 7.5-magnitude quake hit the same area at a shallower depth of 10 kilometres, worsening the destruction.
As rescue efforts continued, several countries pledged support, including the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama, Uruguay and Qatar.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington would dispatch search-and-rescue teams, medical supplies and humanitarian aid to assist affected communities.
The tremors were also felt in neighbouring countries, prompting evacuations in parts of Brazil and shaking communities across Colombia.