Rescue crews worked through unstable debris, collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure Thursday as powerful twin earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 700, with officials warning the toll is expected to rise as teams reach areas still cut off by damage and communication failures.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said the government was still gathering information from remote and heavily damaged regions, including coastal areas near the capital, where entire neighborhoods remained difficult to access.

"At this time, we have received reports of 32 deaths and more than 700 injured,” Rodriguez said in a national address, adding that authorities had not yet established the full scale of destruction in the hardest-hit zones.

The earthquakes, measured at magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 by the U.S. Geological Survey, struck within seconds of each other Wednesday evening off Venezuela’s Caribbean coast. The shallow depth and short interval between the quakes intensified their impact, sending strong tremors across multiple states and into Caracas, where buildings swayed violently and some structures collapsed.

Early assessments indicated widespread structural damage in residential and commercial districts. Multi-story buildings lost facades, roads cracked and debris filled streets as residents rushed outside in panic. Power outages and mobile network disruptions left many unable to contact relatives or emergency services for hours.

Authorities declared a nationwide state of emergency as hospitals in affected regions reported surging admissions. Emergency wards in Caracas and coastal states activated mass casualty protocols, while additional medical staff were called in to handle the influx of injured residents.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said multiple buildings collapsed in the Altamira district and warned that people could still be trapped under rubble. He urged residents to remain outdoors due to continuing aftershocks and the risk of further structural failure.

The U.S. Geological Survey initially measured the first quake at magnitude 7.1 before revising it to 7.2, with an epicenter west of Moron on the Caribbean coast. Less than a minute later, a stronger 7.5 magnitude quake struck at a shallower depth, increasing ground acceleration and compounding structural damage across already weakened buildings.

The agency issued an early assessment warning that "high casualties and extensive damage are probable,” noting that destruction could be widespread across multiple regions depending on infrastructure vulnerability.

In coastal Falcon state, Governor Victor Clark reported dozens hospitalized and at least 15 people missing in the hours after the quakes. Search-and-rescue teams worked through damaged neighborhoods where collapsed homes and debris blocked narrow streets, slowing access to trapped residents.

Local officials described scenes of partial building collapses, with rescue workers pulling survivors from unstable structures while others remained unaccounted for as night fell. Hospitals in the region extended shifts and prepared for continued arrivals of injured patients.

International response began within hours. The United States said it had mobilized disaster assistance teams, including search-and-rescue units and medical support, while coordinating with Venezuelan authorities on logistics and needs assessments. Several countries across Latin America also offered aid and emergency supplies.

U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was ready to assist, as Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile and others pledged support. Regional leaders emphasized humanitarian coordination despite political differences, focusing on emergency response.

Across Caracas, residents described violent shaking that began subtly before intensifying into sustained movement that forced entire buildings to evacuate within seconds. Many remained in open areas for hours as aftershocks continued and authorities warned against re-entering damaged structures.

Collapsed walls, fallen electrical poles and scattered debris blocked major roads in several districts, slowing emergency response teams. Some neighborhoods also experienced prolonged power outages and disrupted communications, further complicating rescue coordination.

Firefighters and civil protection units continued clearing rubble overnight, using heavy equipment and manual search efforts where machinery could not safely operate. Authorities warned that additional aftershocks could destabilize already weakened structures.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center briefly issued alerts after the earthquakes but later lifted them, confirming no tsunami threat along the Caribbean basin.

Strong earthquakes are rare in Venezuela, which sits near the boundary of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates but outside the highly active Pacific Ring of Fire. Seismologists note that while infrequent, shallow quakes in the region can produce severe damage due to urban density and infrastructure vulnerability.