State of emergency declared in Venezuela after earthquakes

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has announced a state of emergency on Wednesday night, after two powerful earthquakes hit the country.

“We ask the population to remain calm and united,” she said on state TV.

The UK Guardian reported that Rodríguez said the country’s main airport had been closed after suffering “severe damage” and announced that the metro and train systems had been halted.

“We send our immediate condolences to those who have lost relatives,” Rodríguez added, although she did not say how many casualties or fatalities there had been.

Rodríguez urged citizens to evacuate damaged buildings.

Meanwhile, United States is mobilising assistance for Venezuela, a US state department official has told Reuters. There were no details about what form the assistance would take.