Venezuela declares state of emergency after deadly twin earthquakes

Second quake, at magnitude 7.5, was most powerful to strike the country since 1900, collapsing buildings in capital Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, has declared a state of emergency after the country was struck by two powerful earthquakes that collapsed dozens of buildings and killed at least 164 people, a toll that it is feared could rise significantly. Rodríguez said 971 people were injured and more casualties were expected. The two strong earthquakes hit within a minute of each other shortly after 6pm local time on Wednesday. The first had a magnitude of 7.2 and the second 7.5, the most powerful to strike the country since 1900, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). Rodríguez said there were about 30 aftershocks. In a televised broadcast on Wednesday night, she urged citizens to evacuate damaged buildings. “We ask the population to remain calm and united,” she said. The quakes were felt in many parts of the country but the worst destruction appears to have taken place in and around the capital, Caracas, where videos on social media showed scenes of panic as passengers raced through the corridors of Simón Bolívar international airport seeking cover from falli