Rescue underway after deadly quakes hit Venezuela

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 164 people and injuring 971 after dozens of buildings collapsed into piles of shattered concrete and steel in and around Caracas, the nation's capital.

China expressed its condolences to Venezuela on Thursday after the earthquakes, saying that it stands ready to provide assistance based on the South American country's needs.

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 kilometers west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the United States Geological Survey. The twin quakes, the country's strongest in 126 years, hit when many Venezuelans were at home during a public holiday.

The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued several tsunami alerts that were quickly lifted.

Delcy Rodriguez, the acting president of Venezuela, said the coastal state of La Guaira in northern Venezuela was hit the hardest, describing it as a "disaster zone" where dozens of buildings had collapsed entirely.

"La Guaira state is a true tragedy," Rodriguez said on Venezuelan state television.