Two powerful earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 occurred near the coast of Venezuela, causing destruction in the country's capital, Caracas. According to a preliminary assessment by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the death toll could range from 10,000 to 100,000 people, reports the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
According to the USGS, the first earthquake struck approximately 160 km west of Caracas, and within a minute, a second, even stronger tremor was recorded. Meanwhile, the exact scale of destruction and the number of casualties are currently being determined.
Buildings collapsed in Caracas
Venezuela's Ministry of Internal Affairs reported the collapse of several buildings in Caracas. According to Reuters, many residents were at home at the time of the earthquake due to a national holiday.
According to Venezuelan authorities, the disaster affected at least seven states of the country. The USGS warned that the earthquake could likely become a "large-scale catastrophe," but the estimate of a possible 10,000-100,000 dead is a preliminary forecast and not a confirmed number of casualties.