Twin earthquakes devastate Venezuela: At least 32 dead, over 700 injured as scenes of destruction unfold

Powerful back-to-back earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude that struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening killed at least 32 people and injured 700 others.

Rescue workers and residents were seen clambering on piles of rubble in the hunt for survivors after the disaster that prompted leader Delcy Rodriguez to declare a state of emergency.

The earthquakes, among the strongest in over a century in Venezuela, shook the region, with evacuations in cities and effects felt as far as Brazil’s Amazon nearly 1,700 km from Caracas.

During the quake, people in Caracas evacuated swaying buildings, with some shocked by collapsed walls exposing interiors, and remained on streets for hours with pets as dust settled.