A powerful pair of earthquakes has left a significant casualty toll in Venezuela, according to the latest figures coming in from the disaster. According to the report, at least 32 people have died and 700 have been left injured after two huge back-to-back earthquakes struck the country, including the capital Caracas, with the numbers described as initial figures that are expected to rise as the situation develops.
The disaster was caused by two strong tremors striking in quick succession near the capital. According to the report, the first quake hit around 160 kilometres west of Caracas and was followed less than a minute later, about 39 seconds apart, by a second tremor, with the United States Geological Survey recording the two as magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on the scale used to measure such events.
Venezuelan authorities have moved onto an emergency footing as the scale of the damage became clear. According to the report, the country's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, has declared a state of emergency, while U.S. President Donald Trump has said the United States is ready to help, signalling international attention as the response to the disaster got under way.
On the ground, a major search and rescue operation is under way in the capital through the night. According to the report, workers are making their way through the rubble of collapsed buildings in a multi-agency effort, with accounts from people on the ground describing calls and cries for help emanating from amongst the rubble of damaged and destroyed structures.
The strength of the quakes set them apart from most seismic activity recorded in the region. According to the report, these are only the fifth or sixth quakes of this scale to hit the area since 1900, and while the region is affected by earthquakes, the tremors were notable for their power, with the shaking felt as far away as the Amazon in Brazil.
Officials have cautioned that the picture is still incomplete and the toll could climb. According to the report, more casualties are expected and the initial figures are likely to rise, with the United States Geological Survey suggesting around a 40 percent chance of injuries and fatalities somewhere in the thousands, even as the full extent remained unclear during the night, with rescuers working in darkness at around one o'clock in the morning local time.