Powerful Earthquakes Shake Venezuela, Videos Show Stadium Panic in Caracas

Social media videos circulating Thursday show the moment a strong earthquake struck Venezuela during a baseball game at the University Stadium in Caracas. The nearly empty stadium can be seen shaking violently, along with the cameras, stands and ground, before players and others on site realize what is happening and run to the middle of the field.

In the footage, the game continues for a few seconds as if normal, then people begin to react to the tremors. Some sprint to the open center of the field, which is considered safer during an earthquake because there are fewer structures that could collapse or objects that could fall.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit northern Venezuela, followed about 39 seconds later by a stronger 7.5 magnitude quake. The epicenter was west of Caracas, but the shaking was felt far away and caused heavy damage in several provinces.

Venezuelan authorities declared a state of emergency after buildings collapsed, infrastructure was damaged, and the main international airport was also affected. Latest reports say at least 32 people were killed and about 700 were injured, while rescue teams continue searching the rubble for trapped and missing people.