Venezuela declares emergency after two strong quakes near Caracas

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela declared a nationwide state of emergency after two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck off the country's northern coast within roughly a minute, officials said. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said 20 aftershocks had been recorded following the two main shocks. In the capital, Caracas, several buildings collapsed and widespread infrastructure damage was reported. Authorities said damaged structures were being evacuated and that gas supplies to some buildings were cut as a precaution. The U.S. Geological Survey described the sequence as a "doublet" earthquake, with the two events occurring less than a minute apart off Venezuela's northern coast. The Simón Bolívar International Airport serving Caracas, also known as Maiquetía, was closed after its facilities sustained damage, and technical teams were assessing the runways before flights could resume. Search-and-rescue operations and damage assessments were continuing, according to officials. No official casualty figures had been released.