The Venezuela government has declared a state of emergency after two major earthquakes shook the capital Caracas just seconds apart - the first a magnitude 7.2 and the second 7.5, BBC reported.
Rescue crews are searching the rubble of collapsed multi-storey buildings for survivors and Venezuela's main international airport has been closed due to serious damage from the earthquakes.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez offers her condolences without specifying how many people have died while the US Geological Survey warns of high casualties and extensive damage, saying the "disaster is likely widespread".
Venezuela was celebrating a national holiday and many people would have been at home when the quakes struck at 18:04 local time (23:04 BST).
The quakes hit an area west of Caracas, and could be felt throughout the country and as far away as Bogota, Colombia, according to international news agencies.
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