Powerful earthquakes struck on three continents in 24 hours, collapsing buildings, rattling homes, killing at least 32 people, and injuring more than seven hundred.
Venezuela was the hardest hit when back-to-back quakes centered in the Caribbean off the coast, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, hit on Wednesday, collapsing buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets.
A 7.2 earthquake shook northern Japan, and some residents in a rural area of Northern California sustained injuries from a 5.6 quake, the strongest quake since 1940.
Rescuers continue to search through the rubble in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, which sustained damage from building collapses. The government is still trying to assess how many states were affected, but the tremors were felt as far away as the Brazilian Amazon region.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez addressed the nation, urging calm. She announced that schools would be closed for several days.
People stayed on the streets for hours after the quakes, some hugging their pets.
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The Japan quake’s epicenter was also located in waters off the coast. The region has felt strong tremors in recent months and had one advisory for a possible mega-quake. Surprisingly, officials did not issue a tsunami warning.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said emergency teams are preparing for relief operations where needed, and she warned citizens against aftershocks.
The California quake was centered near the agricultural town of Willits, about 140 miles northeast of San Francisco. Thousands of residents in six towns were without power after the temblor. California Seismologist Lucy Jones told The Associated Press that the area is not on a major fault line.
“The area is not without earthquakes, but they’re usually smaller than this,” Jones said. She predicted there would be aftershocks, but “they’ll probably stay on the low side.”
