Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency after 2 consecutive strong earthquakes and nearly 20 aftershocks shook the country, causing many buildings to collapse in the capital Caracas and elsewhere.
Ms. Rodriguez appeared on state television with Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodriguez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello on June 24.
The interim President of Venezuela sent his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased victims but did not announce the number of dead or injured.
Simon Bolivar airport in Maiquetia, near Caracas, was closed due to earthquake damage, she said.
On June 24, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake occurred about 160km west of Caracas and another magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred less than a minute later, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
High casualties and widespread damage are possible and disasters are likely to spread," USGS said, with initial estimates of deaths possibly from 10,000 to 100,000 people.
Venezuela is located in a strong seismic activity area, where the Caribbean tectonic plate meets the South American tectonic plate. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), an estimated 30,000 people died when an earthquake caused widespread devastation in the cities of Merida and Caracas in March 1812.
