CARACAS: Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 700 as dozens of buildings collapsed in and around the capital, Caracas, authorities said.

The first earthquake, measuring 7.2 in magnitude, struck about 160 kilometres west of Caracas and was followed less than a minute later by a stronger 7.5-magnitude tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS warned the eventual death toll could rise into the thousands, with predictive models indicating a significant possibility that fatalities could exceed 10,000 due to the scale of the disaster.

Television footage and videos shared on social media showed rescue workers searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings in Caracas as relatives desperately waited for news of people believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said at least 32 people had been confirmed dead, but cautioned that the figure did not yet include casualties from the coastal state of La Guaira, one of the worst-hit areas and home to the country’s main international airport, which was closed following the quake.

“Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are carrying out intensive rescue efforts to save as many lives as possible,” Rodriguez said in a televised address early Thursday.

She described the earthquakes as “a true tragedy” and expressed condolences to families who had lost loved ones.

An online platform created to help locate missing people listed more than 6,600 individuals as unaccounted for within hours of the disaster, reflecting the scale of the emergency.

Many Venezuelans were at home when the earthquakes struck during a public holiday.

“There was a very loud crash. Things fell everywhere inside the house. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Caracas resident Coro Martinez said.

Aftershocks continued through the night, while authorities prepared to receive international rescue teams to assist search operations.