Thousands are feared dead after two powerful quakes struck near Caracas, collapsing buildings, cutting power and prompting rescue efforts and offers of international aid

Venezuela was still assessing the scale of destruction Thursday after two powerful earthquakes struck the Caracas region, with fears that thousands of people may have been killed.

There was no official estimate of the total number of casualties, but images from Caracas and other affected areas showed widespread destruction, with many buildings collapsed. Rescue crews were seen trying to reach people trapped under large piles of rubble, and witnesses said some could be heard shouting for help.

A website set up after the disaster to help locate missing people said that, as of noon in Israel, more than 10,000 people had been reported missing. The site was promoted by Venezuelan opposition leaders, many of whom are in exile, and communication difficulties may also be linked to major internet disruptions reported after the quake.

The U.S. Geological Survey warned in an initial assessment that there was a significant chance the death toll could exceed 10,000. Its preliminary calculations put the probability at 44%, with a 30% chance that the toll could surpass 100,000.

The disaster struck at 6:04 p.m. local time Wednesday, when two destructive earthquakes hit the Morón area on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers, or 105 miles, west of Caracas. The quakes occurred just 40 seconds apart.

According to the USGS, the first quake had a magnitude of 7.2 and was a foreshock to the second, more destructive 7.5-magnitude quake. The second was the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. The first quake alone was the fourth strongest ever recorded in the country.

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