Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced early on 25/6 that health authorities reported at least 32 fatalities and over 700 injuries following two consecutive earthquakes in the country on 24/6. This casualty count is expected to rise rapidly, as it does not yet include figures from the coastal state of La Guaira, the worst-affected area.

"We can say that the situation in La Guaira is a real tragedy", Rodriguez stated, declaring the area a disaster zone. "Dozens of high-rise buildings have collapsed, and we are racing against time to save as many people as possible".

Location of La Guaira state in northern Venezuela. *Graphic: El Pais*

Due to communication outages in La Guaira state, local officials have not yet been able to report casualty figures from the most severely affected areas. Images from La Guaira reveal widespread structural damage, including a section of an 8-story hotel, raising concerns that the death and injury toll will continue to climb.

Rescue teams search for survivors under rubble in La Guaira, Venezuela, early on 25/6. *Photo: Reuters*

A website established by political activists to aid in victim searches recorded over 6,600 missing persons reports within hours of the disaster. The earthquake struck during a public holiday, meaning many people were at home. "I call on all citizens to unite, remain calm, and trust that we will overcome this tragedy together", Venezuela's interim president stated.

Rodriguez announced that rescue teams from the US, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Qatar would arrive in Venezuela to support response efforts. China, Brazil, and several Caribbean nations have also offered humanitarian aid.

Interim President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodriguez, at a press conference early on 25/6. *Photo: Office of the President of Venezuela*

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake, measuring 7,2 magnitude, struck approximately 160 km west of the capital, Caracas. Less than a minute later, the region was hit by a 7,5 magnitude earthquake. This marks Venezuela's strongest earthquake in over a century. The USGS estimates that fatalities are likely to reach thousands, with a significant probability of exceeding 10,000, based on earthquake impact prediction models.

Venezuela is situated in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean and South American plates meet. An earthquake in 1812 killed approximately 30,000 people and severely devastated the cities of Merida and Caracas.

At Clinicas Hospital in Caracas, medical staff were instructed to increase night shifts to receive and treat the large number of injured. Authorities also announced the cancellation of all classes for the remainder of the week to focus on recovery efforts.

Earthquake epicenter location in Venezuela on 24/6. *Graphic: Guardian*

Venezuela's oil and gas infrastructure has not reported significant damage. Civil defense officials in Maracaibo, near a local oil extraction hub, have not reported any casualties. Staff at the El Palito oil refinery, close to the epicenter, also confirmed the facility was undamaged. UK energy company Shell, which is evaluating the potential for gas field development in Venezuela, confirmed all its staff in the country are safe. A source told Reuters that prolonged power outages could impact crude oil production until electricity systems are restored.

By Thanh Danh (According to Reuters, CNN, Xinhua)