Venezuela earthquake LIVE: Caracas buildings collapse after 7.5 quake with 'high casualties' feared

Venezuela earthquake LIVE: Caracas buildings collapse after 7.5 quake with 'high casualties' feared The quakes hit in short succession Two massive earthquakes have struck near Venezuela, causing widespread destruction and the possibility of deaths into the thousands. The earthquakes struck late on Wednesday, June 24 and footage posted to social media showed vehicles shaking, smoke filling the streets and damage inside some buildings. Witnesses have reported feeling tremors in capital Caracas. The first earthquake was recorded as a 7.1-magnitude seism. Minutes later, the USGS has reported an even larger 7.5-magnitude earthquake. Chivacoa local María José del Pino felt the earthquake at her home in the northern part of the country. "I felt the earthquake while I was having a snack with my children, and I heard a loud noise; I thought it was a truck parking outside, and I found that strange," she said, according to El País news outlet. "But soon everything started shaking: people were running through the streets in fear, and some were screaming. "We're still out on the street; we don’t want to go back inside our homes for fear they might collapse, because the structures of many houses in Venezuela are fragile." Buildings in Caracas, in the north of Venezuela, had completely caved in and rescue workers were franticly searching for victims. The death toll from the quakes is feared to be in the thousands, but an official figure has not been released. Víctor Clark, Governor of Falcón State - in the north-west of the country - has said 35 people have been injured, with two in a serious condition, following the quakes. The is a live event and updates will be provided. Key Events Venezuela's Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed there has been fatalities, but did not specifying how many people may have died as a result of the earthquakes. Rodríguez also declared a state of emergency following the back-to-back earthquakes and announced a high-level task force to oversee search and rescue operations. "We have activated the country's entire public and private health network — particularly in the most affected areas — to treat the injured during this highly sensitive time for the population. We also extend our immediate condolences to those who have tragically lost a family member," she said in a televised speech. María José del Pino felt the earthquake at her home in Chivacoa, in the northern part of Venezuela. "I felt the earthquake while I was having a snack with my children, and I heard a loud noise; I thought it was a truck parking outside, and I found that strange," she said, according to El País news outlet. "But soon everything started shaking: people were running through the streets in fear, and some were screaming. We're still out on the street; we don’t want to go back inside our homes for fear they might collapse, because the structures of many houses in Venezuela are fragile. "We don't have cell service, just Wi-Fi. And we don't know what happened to our families in Caracas, because we can't reach everyone. "An uncle of mine, who was in downtown Chivacoa, told me he could see the utility poles and power lines swaying." The earthquakes roiled the region, with buildings evacuated in cities and areas spread as far as Brazil's Amazon about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) away. Governor of Falcón State, Víctor Clark, has said 35 people have been injured, with two in a serious condition, following the quakes. Four earthquakes struck different parts of the world on Wednesday: - Japan with a 6.9-magnitude quake - Venezuela with a 7.1-magnitude quake followed by a 7.5-magnitude - US with a 5.6-magnitude quake The quakes are not linked, however. The earthquakes occurred on separate fault systems and plate boundaries, meaning one did not trigger the others. Each earthquake struck along well-known active plate boundaries. Large earthquakes are an expected part of the natural cycle as stress builds along the boundaries for many years. A tsunami is no longer a threat from the earthquake in Venezuela, US Tsunami Warning Centers said. "The tsunami threat from this earthquake has passed and there is no further threat," the center said in an update. "It was horrible," said Olky Barrero, a 56-year-old teacher, according to the Guardian. Barrero had joined the search efforts. "We hope to God that there are as few victims as possible. We're praying." The first 7.2-magnitude quake was centred in the state of Carabobo, 20km from the capital. This was followed by a stronger 7.5-magnitude quake just 39 seconds later according to the US Geological Survey. People are reportedly trapped under the rubble of buildings damaged by the quakes. The number of victims and the death toll is not immediately clear. "High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread," the USGS said. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said that petrol supplies to several building have been cut as a precaution. "We have some damaged structures and we don't want any kind of accident involving gas to occur," Cabello said. One Caracas resident recalled the terrifying moment he felt the quake. "The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong," Roberto Damas said. "We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out." Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the quake could be felt in several states, The Associated Press reported. Cabello added that Altamira neighborhood in Caracas had "alarming situations" with collapsed homes and buildings. He urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could further damage some structures. The tsunami advisory has been cancelled, the National Weather Service in San Juan said in a post on X. "Evaluation of all available data indicate that a tsunami was not generated by this earthquake." People evacuated swaying buildings in Caracas and remained outside, many visibly shocked as they saw entire walls that had collapsed. Plumes of dust could also be seen in two neighbourhoods of the capital, where restaurants and other businesses are typically busy. First responders are searching for victims in a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas. Damage has been reported at Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia following the earthquake. The USGS has reported an even larger 7.5-magnitude earthquake. The second quake had a depth of 10 kilometers and its epicenter was 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón. NWS National Tsunami Warning Center: "There is no tsunami danger for the U.S. east coast, the Gulf of America states, or the eastern coast of Canada." A magnitude 6.9 earthquake has been detected, with the epicenter identified 42 kilometers east northeast of Noda, Japan. Earliest information on the earthquake: - A huge 7.1 magnitude struck near the coast of Venezuela late on Wednesday, June 24 - The earthquake struck shortly after 10pm at at depth of 10 kilometres - Hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts located within 300 km of the earthquake epicenter - Costal regions of Bonaire, Venezuela, Curacao and Aruba have been warned of possibletsunami waves