The 7.5-magnitude earthquake that struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening was the strongest to hit the South American country since 1900, according to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The 1900 earthquake, which occurred north-east of the capital Caracas off the coast, had a magnitude of 7.7, the USGS said.
Some 21 fatalities were recorded at the time, and many buildings collapsed. More than 250 aftershocks followed, forcing many residents of the region to live outdoors for months.
Venezuela was hit by two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 in quick succession on Wednesday. Both occurred around 170 kilometres west of the capital Caracas.
Authorities have so far reported at least 32 people dead and around 700 injured, but with rescue operations continuing, there are fears of a much higher death toll.
A model calculation by the USGS showed a very high likelihood of more than 1,000 deaths.
