Two powerful earthquakes shook the Venezuelan capital of Caracas seconds apart on Wednesday evening, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 700, the country’s interim president has said.

The second quake was one of the strongest tremors to hit the South American country in a century, at a magnitude of 7.5.

Buildings collapsed and residents rushed to the streets for safety as the quakes struck.

Venezeula’s Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and said airport, rail and transport services had been paused.

Rescuers are racing to find survivors who may be trapped beneath rubble, with fears the death toll could rise.

Both earthquakes shook Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas – home to around 5 million people – around 18:04 local time (22:04 GMT) on Wednesday.

The first was magnitude 7.2 and struck the state of Yaracuy, west of Caracas, at a depth of 22km, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring agency.

Thirty-nine seconds later, a stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck nearby at a depth of about 10km.

The epicentres were both outside the capital, but were felt strongly across the city, with buildings shaking and some collapsing.

Tremors were felt as far away as the Colombian capital Bogotá, more than 1,000km (630 miles) away.

More than 20 aftershocks have since been felt across Venezuela, largely affecting the country’s northern coastline, including La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo and Falcón.

The quakes hit while the country was celebrating a national holiday, commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, a decisive victory by Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar against the Spanish colonial power.

Rodríguez said at least 32 people had died and 700 others were injured. It is likely that the toll will climb as rescue efforts continue.

The USGS said there was a 36% chance that the death toll could hit up to 10,000 and a 40% chance it could reach as many as 100,000.

US president Donald Trump referred to a “devastating number of deaths” in a post on Truth Social.

Emergency crews and officials are still working to rescue anyone trapped under rubble.

The area where the quakes struck is particularly vulnerable, the USGS noted.

The agency stated many buildings there were made of reinforced brick masonry and adobe blocks, and the sheer force of the shaking meant a high chance of destroyed buildings and deaths.

The full extent of the damage is still to be assessed, but photos and videos show debris strewn on the streets, while rescuers dig through the rubble of collapsed buildings to locate survivors.

In some footage, people can be heard calling for help.

The mayor of Chacao, Gustavo Duque Saez, told reporters that at least two buildings in this municipality – which forms part of the greater metropolitan area of Caracas – have completely collapsed.

He said 18 people had been rescued alive and that more than 500 emergency workers were on site trying to pull out more residents.

In an address to the nation, Delcy Rodríguez’s expressed her “immediate condolences” to those killed in the quakes.

Her emergency declaration allows extra resources and personnel to be used for recovery efforts.

Many Venezuelans are spending the night on the street, with the country’s interior ministry urging people to leave damaged homes over concerns of building stability and gas lines possibly being affected.

Fuel supplies into the city have been cut off and internet blackouts have also been reported.

Venezuela’s main international airport, Maiquetía airport – located on the outskirts of Caracas – has also been closed due to earthquake damage.

Metro and train services across the country have also been suspended, and school classes are also paused for the remainder of the week, Rodríguez said.

US President Donald Trump said Washington was “ready, willing and able” to help, adding he had instructed government agencies to “move quickly”.

“We will be there for our new and great friends,” Trump said on Truth Social, adding that “early reports are not good”.

Venezuela’s Latin American neighbours have also offered aid.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said his country prepared 50 tonnes of equipment and supplies, as well as 300 rescuers who are “ready to depart for Caracas”.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azin said he arranged for aid to be sent immediately to Venezuela.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also said his country would assess what assistance it could extend to its “sister nation”.

There was initially a tsunami threat advisory issued along the coast of Venezuela, and parts of the Caribbean, including the US Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.

But those warnings have now been cancelled.

The US Tsunami Warning System said there is no longer a tsunami threat across the region from the quakes.