Two seismic earthquakes have struck Venezuela, killing at least 32 people and injuring about 700 others, the BBC is reporting.
The first quake struck Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, at 18:04 local time (22:04 GMT), when many people were at home, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Witnesses told Reuters that they felt tremors from the 7.1-magnitude quake as far as neighbouring Bogotá, Colombia.
The second quake struck at a location about 23km southeast of Yumare in Venezuela.
This is not the first time Caracas has suffered a devastating earthquake.
In 1967, a 6.6-magnitude earthquake killed more than 200 people and destroyed buildings in the middle-class neighbourhood of Palos Grandes and the upscale district of Altamira.
Both neighbourhoods were again affected by Wednesday’s earthquake, with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello telling state television that buildings had collapsed in the areas.
As in the 1967 disaster, residents also reported experiencing two successive tremors.
The USGS said the earthquakes could result in heavy casualties and widespread destruction, particularly in the capital and surrounding areas.
According to the agency, “the disaster is likely widespread” and strong aftershocks could still occur.
The USGS estimates a 44 per cent probability that the death toll could exceed 10,000, and a 30 per cent chance that fatalities could surpass 100,000. It also warned of a significant risk of landslides and ground liquefaction.
Liquefaction is an earthquake-induced phenomenon in which loose, water-saturated soil loses its strength and behaves like a flowing mass, similar to a lateral landslide.
While rescue operations are ongoing, Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, has declared a state of emergency following the devastating earthquakes.
Addressing the nation alongside Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and her brother, who is the head of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, she also appointed a general to coordinate the country’s emergency response.
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Ms Rodríguez has been serving as interim president since January, when her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, was taken into US custody and transferred to New York to face alleged drug-trafficking charges.
In her address, she urged Venezuelans to remain united and expressed condolences to families who lost loved ones in the earthquakes, although she did not disclose the number of fatalities.
The interior minister urged residents of the affected areas to evacuate their homes as a precaution, according to AFP.
He said fuel supplies to several buildings had been shut off to reduce the risk of further incidents following the earthquake.
“We have some damaged structures, and we don’t want any kind of accident involving gas to occur,” the minister said.