Two powerful earthquakes strike Venezuela, leaving casualties in their wake

The earthquakes in Venezuela reached a magnitude of 7.5. The first magnitude 7.2 tremor occurred near San Felipe (south of the country) shortly after 6:04 p.m. EDT.

Just 40 seconds later, a stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck, with its epicenter located approximately 23 kilometers southeast of Yumare (30km to the north from San Felipe).

NV publishes a photo report on the aftermath of the series of earthquakes in Venezuela.

Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency. She added that there are victims, but did not provide specific figures.

The U.S. Geological Survey issued a red alert, estimating that the earthquake in Venezuela could lead to thousands of casualties.

The last significant seismic event in Venezuela was an earthquake on Aug. 21, 2018.

It occurred near the country's northern coast (in the area of Carúpano, Sucre state) and had a magnitude of 7.3.