Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring 700 after dozens of buildings collapsed into piles of shattered concrete and steel in and around the capital Caracas, writes Reuters.

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS, using predictive modeling to estimate the death toll, said it would most likely run into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000. Video footage showed emergency workers scrambling over the pancaked debris of a collapsed building in the capital as night fell, while distraught relatives sought help for loved ones believed to be trapped. Several dazed survivors were taken away, some on stretchers.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said the initial casualty figures do not include those from worst-affected La Guaira state, near Caracas and home to the city’s airport, which had been closed: "Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save... I also want to say that this is a true tragedy. From here, we send our message of solidarity, and to those families who have lost loved ones, we reaffirm our condolences and our support in these difficult hours".

A website set up to track missing people and posted on X by leaders from the country’s opposition, many of whom are outside of the country, listed more than 6,600 people listed as unaccounted for soon after 2 a.m. local time (0600 GMT).