[Anchor]

A series of powerful earthquakes, with magnitudes exceeding 7, have struck Venezuela in South America, leaving at least 32 people dead and over 700 injured. With the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimating that the death toll could reach between 10,000 and 100,000, the Venezuelan government has declared a state of national emergency.

Gwak Sang-eun reports.

[Reporter]

Rescue workers are evacuating people from the rubble of buildings that have been reduced to unrecognizable ruins.

The streets are filled with people who are unable to confirm the safety of their families and remain gripped by fear even after narrowly escaping.

Around 6:00 p.m. on the 24th (local time), powerful consecutive earthquakes struck the Caribbean coast of northern Venezuela.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the first earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.2, occurred 168 km west of the capital, Caracas. Less than a minute later, a second earthquake with a magnitude of 7.5 struck 45 km from the epicenter of the first.

[Affected Resident: There was smoke everywhere. When I came down, it was like a scene from a horror movie, and we had to crawl through all kinds of debris to escape.]

With a state of national emergency declared, the Venezuelan government stated that at least 32 deaths and over 700 injuries have been confirmed so far.

Interim President Rodriguez stated that La Guaira state, near the capital region, suffered the most significant damage, and that all available personnel are being deployed to focus on rescue operations.

[Delcy Rodriguez / Interim President of Venezuela: In the coming hours, we will receive support from rescue teams from various countries that have already reached out to us.]

The death toll is expected to rise significantly as search operations for those trapped in the rubble intensify.

Previously, the U.S. Geological Survey issued a grim forecast, suggesting that the death toll from this earthquake could range from a minimum of 10,000 to a maximum of 100,000.

In 2018, a 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck Sucre state in Venezuela, resulting in over 120 casualties. At that time, the damage was limited because the earthquake's focal depth was relatively deep.

(Video Editing: Kim Jun-hee)