Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 235

The death toll from twin powerful earthquakes that struck near Venezuela's capital, Caracas, has risen to at least 235, while more than 1,500 people have been injured, authorities said, as rescuers race against time to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck at 6:04pm (local time) on Wednesday, followed seconds later by a stronger magnitude 7.5 quake. Both earthquakes occurred at shallow depths, triggering widespread destruction across the region.

Extensive damage has been reported in Caracas and the coastal city of La Guaira, where numerous residential and commercial buildings collapsed.

The casualty toll has been exacerbated by the national holiday, with many people inside their homes when the earthquakes struck.

Witnesses said cries for help could still be heard from beneath the rubble.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a nationwide state of emergency, while National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said nearly 250 buildings had been destroyed or severely damaged, most of them in La Guaira.

Severe damage has also been reported in the states of Trujillo, Yaracuy, Carabobo, Aragua and Miranda. Caracas' Maiquetía International Airport has been temporarily closed after sustaining significant structural damage. Authorities said at least 30 aftershocks have been recorded since the main earthquakes.

The USGS warned that the death toll could rise substantially. Its rapid impact assessment estimates a 42 percent probability that fatalities could exceed 10,000 and a 33 percent chance they could surpass 100,000.

The agency stressed that these figures are preliminary emergency impact estimates based on historical earthquake data and not final casualty forecasts.

Venezuela lies along the boundary of two major tectonic plates, and seismologists believe the earthquakes were triggered by the sudden release of long-accumulated tectonic stress.

The United States, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico and Qatar have pledged assistance for rescue and relief operations. Washington has committed $150 million in aid and announced the deployment of military transport aircraft and ships to support search-and-rescue efforts.

Experts have described the disaster as Venezuela's most powerful earthquake since 1900 and the deadliest natural disaster to hit Caracas since the devastating 1967 earthquake.