State of emergency as powerful back-to-back earthquakes hit Venezuela

Powerful back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing widespread damage and prompting a state of emergency.

The quakes, among the strongest in over a century, led to building collapses, evacuations, and the closure of Simón Bolívar International Airport, as well as the cancellation of subway and natural gas services in Caracas.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, urging calm, cancelling school classes for several days, and asking healthcare professionals to report to hospitals.

The tremors were felt across several Venezuelan states and as far as Brazil's Amazon, with reports of 32 hospitalisations and 15 people trapped in Falcon state.

Numerous countries, including the United States, El Salvador, Ecuador, and Bolivia, offered international assistance and humanitarian aid to Venezuela following the disaster.