Venezuela Declares National Emergency After Major Earthquakes; 32 Dead, Many Still Trapped

Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, has declared a state of emergency after two major earthquakes shook the capital Caracas within seconds of each other. The first tremor measured magnitude 7.2 and the second 7.5. The quakes have destroyed many buildings and structures in Caracas. The latest reports indicate at least 32 people have been killed as a result of the earthquakes, and the death toll is likely to continue rising. As reported by the BBC, rescue teams are searching for survivors in the rubble of collapsed high-rise buildings. Venezuela’s main international airport has been closed due to serious damage caused by the earthquakes. Venezuela is known to be located in a seismically active zone where two tectonic plates, the Caribbean and the South American, meet. According to the US Geological Survey, the second and larger of the two earthquakes occurred due to ‘shallow strike-slip faulting’ near the boundary of these plates. This occurs when a fault, or fracture between the plates, moves horizontally. Earthquakes happen when this movement occurs rapidly.