At least 32 killed, over 700 injured in strong twin quakes in Venezuela
At least 32 people have been confirmed dead and around 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in rapid succession, interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced - the first official casualty figures released, Qazinform News Agency learned from Anadolu.
Seismologists reported that a magnitude 7.2 foreshock hit near San Felipe, the capital of Yaracuy state, followed just 40 seconds later by a devastating 7.5 mainshock southeast of Yumare. The latter was the strongest earthquake recorded in Venezuela in more than 125 years.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quakes originated at a depth of about 10 kilometers, with the epicenter located west of the coastal town of Morón. The violent tremors shook Caracas, toppling several buildings and leaving widespread destruction.
The USGS initially warned that fatalities could reach between 10,000 and 100,000, underscoring the severity of the disaster. Updated technical data confirmed northern Venezuela was struck by an extraordinary double-seismic sequence, marking one of the most destructive events in the nation’s history.
