SPAIN has pledged emergency assistance to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, killing at least 32 people.
Jose Manuel Albares, Spain’s Foreign Minister, has expressed solidarity with Venezuela and said that Spain ‘is prepared to provide all necessary emergency assistance’ after two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck the country’s northwestern region.
Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, also expressed his support saying, ‘Our thoughts are with the victims and their families.’
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, meanwhile, has said that the Spanish Embassy and Consulate in the Venezuelan capital Caracas are ‘fully operational’.
They are closely monitoring ‘the situation of the Spanish residents in the country and are fully available to our community.’
It comes after two powerful quakes struck northwest Venezuela in a matter of minutes.
The first earthquake, measuring 7.2 magnitude, hit at 6.04pm local time (12.04am CEST) and the second, with a 7.5 magnitude, struck just a minute later.
Venezuela’s interim President, Delcy Rodriguez, has confirmed that at least 32 people have died and 700 people are injured following the twin quakes.
The figures do not include the city of La Guiara, which Rodriguez described as the ‘hardest-hit region’.
The city has been declared a ‘disaster zone’ with dozens of collapsed buildings while a state of emergency has been declared across the country.
 The Maiquetia International Airport, near Caracas, has also been closed due to ‘serious damage’ to its infrastructure, Rodriguez said.
Support has been sent from the US, Qatar, Mexico, Dominican Republic and El Salvador with rescuers working to reach survivors.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) has said that “High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread”.
They say that there is a 44% chance that the deal toll will rise to more than 10,000 and a 30% chance of more than 100,000.
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