NEW DELHI: At least 32 people have been killed and hundreds have been injured in powerful earthquakes that hit Venezuela early this morning.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed the nation and confirmed at least 32 deaths and more than 700 injuries, while warning that the toll is expected to climb as rescue crews finally breach heavily hit zones.

A state of emergency has been declared in Venezuela after back-to-back, massive earthquakes struck the country’s north-central coast in rapid succession, leaving a trail of collapsed buildings, severed communications, and widespread panic.

The twin disasters, which struck just 39 seconds apart during a national holiday, are among the most powerful seismic events recorded in Venezuela's history.

Meawnhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also condoled loss of lives in devastation caused by severe earthquakes in Venezuela. Conveying condolences on behalf of the people of India, Shri Modi  prayed for the speedy recovery of those injured and expressed solidarity with all those affected by the tragedy. He reaffirmed that India stands ready to extend all possible assistance during this difficult time.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake—a magnitude 7.2 foreshock—struck at 6:04 p.m. local time (22:04 UTC) in the state of Yaracuy, near the coastal town of Morón. Before residents could process the initial violent shaking, a second, even larger magnitude 7.5 mainshock ripped through the exact same region at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.

The intense, double-strike energy sent shockwaves rolling across most of the country and was felt as far away as neighboring Colombia. Because June 24 is a national holiday commemorating the Battle of Carabobo, the majority of the population was at home rather than in commercial offices when the ground gave way.

The infrastructure impact across the capital and northern coastal areas is severe:

Building Collapses: Dozens of structures have completely or partially collapsed across Caracas. The high-end Altamira and Los Palos Grandes neighborhoods were singled out by authorities as experiencing "alarming situations," including the total collapse of a 22-story high-rise building.

Infrastructure Failure: The country's primary international gateway, Simón Bolívar International Airport in La Guaira, suffered catastrophic structural damage to its terminals and has been completely shut down, canceling all incoming and outgoing flights.

Utility Blackouts: Power grids failed immediately following the second tremor, plunging major sectors of Caracas into darkness. Major telecommunications towers are offline, triggering near-total cellular network blackouts and restricting data flow out of the worst-affected communities.

The Venezuelan government has cancelled all school classes nationwide, transitioning local school buildings into temporary emergency shelters and distribution points for displaced families.

The Venezuelan Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) have activated emergency search and rescue protocols, deploying ambulances and specialized K9 units to dig through concrete rubble in Caracas and the hard-hit coastal state of La Guaira. Neighboring countries, including the Colombian Red Cross, have placed regional rescue teams on high alert for international deployment.

Brief tsunami advisories were triggered across the Caribbean—including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Virgin Islands—but were rescinded hours later by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center after no dangerous wave activity materialized.

Seismologists warn that dozens of strong aftershocks have already occurred, threatening to completely destabilize buildings that managed to withstand the initial twin strikes. Authorities continue to urge the population to remain outdoors in open clearings until safety assessments can be completed.