Twin Earthquakes Kill at Least 32 in Venezuela

Two powerful earthquakes, measured at magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 and about 39 seconds apart, struck north-central Venezuela on the afternoon of June 24, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The South American outlet MercoPress reported that acting President Delcy Rodríguez had initially said at least 32 people were killed and more than 700 injured. By June 25, Venezuelan officials had raised the toll to at least 188 dead, more than 1,500 injured and about 157 people missing, and the USGS estimated a 44% chance the eventual death toll would exceed 10,000. It described the second tremor as Venezuela's most powerful in more than a century.

The Guardian reported that Rodríguez declared a state of emergency after buildings collapsed across Caracas and tremors were felt in neighboring Colombia. Al Jazeera reported that world leaders expressed solidarity and that rescue teams were searching the rubble. The United States said it would deploy urban search-and-rescue teams and mobilize $150 million in assistance, the State Department announced. Russia's RIA Novosti reported that the Kremlin said it would respond promptly to any request from Caracas for aid, a sign of the close ties between Moscow and the Venezuelan government.

Venezuela holds some of the world's largest proven oil reserves, and its production has been gradually returning to global markets as sanctions ease. Damage to infrastructure and the political strain that often follows large disasters in the country could complicate that recovery.