Double earthquake hits Venezuela. USGS estimates there could be tens of thousands of deaths

A strong earthquake hit the Carabobo region, in Venezuela, this Wednesday. Shortly afterwards, just 39 seconds apart, a second shock was recorded at a short distance, leading the Venezuelan Government to declare a state of emergency in several affected areas.

The two earthquakes registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the first, of magnitude 7.2, had its epicenter near San Felipe, at a depth of 21.9 kilometers. Less than a minute later, a second tremor, of magnitude 7.5, was recorded near Yumare, about 10 kilometers underground.

The tremors caused the total collapse of at least five buildings in Caracas, four of them located in the east of the capital and another close to the city center.

Residents of the Venezuelan capital and neighboring cities described scenes of terror and confusion as buildings collapsed, windows shook and thousands of homes were left without electricity.

“I’ve never felt anything so strong,” he said. Maria Barcoaged 24, from the city of San Felipe, near the epicenter of the earthquake, describing a strong tremor that seemed to last between 60 and 90 seconds.

According to , the President of the United States, Donald Trumpoffered support to the Venezuelan authorities. “I have instructed all agencies in our government to prepare to act quickly. We will be there to support our great new friends,” she wrote on Truth Social.

The USGS calculated a 42% probability of the death toll being between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths, a 33% probability of the total varying between 1,000 and 10,000 deaths and a 17% chance of exceeding 100,000 deaths.

Hundreds of rescue team operators, police officers and canine units are on the ground carrying out search, rescue and assistance operations for affected populations.

“We have more than 500 operational carrying out rescue work on the four structures that collapsed in this municipality”, said Iván Duque, specifying that the buildings Petúnia, Don Pepe, Altamira Village Hotel & Suite and another property located in Bello Campo suffered total collapse.

According to the interim president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguezthe official balance points, so far, to 32 dead and more than 700 injurednumbers that could increase in the coming hours as search operations continue.

The Secretary of State for Portuguese Communities, Emídio Sousastated that, for now, there is no indication of Portuguese among the victims earthquakes, adding that the Portuguese Government continues to closely monitor developments in the situation.

“It is possible that there are Portuguese victims, but, for now, we do not have any information that confirms this possibility”, he highlighted.