Twin earthquakes rock Venezuela, killing at least 164 and injuring nearly 1,000.Lawmakers zero in on a billionaire Wall Street player as the Epstein files hearings continue.
And Americans reflect on the country’s greatest achievements in an NBC News poll.Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscriptionGet exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading.Here’s what to know today.Twin earthquakes hit Venezuela; at least 164 dead and nearly 1,000 injuredAdd NBC News to GoogleDeadly twin earthquakes rock Venezuela00:42At least 164 people are dead, and nearly 1,000 are injured, after back-to-back earthquakes hammered Venezuela on Wednesday.This is Morning Rundown, a weekday newsletter to start your day.
Sign up here to get it in your inbox.The U.S.Geological Survey said the epicenter of the first earthquake was about 100 miles west of the capital Caracas.
The second hit the nearby town of Yumare only 39 seconds later, with a magnitude of 7.5.The quakes struck during a national holiday in Venezuela, while many people were at home.Images showed buildings flattened and roads collapsed in Caracas and surrounding areas.
Residents described evacuating swaying buildings and seeing entire walls collapse.Twenty aftershocks had been recorded, according to Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who declared a state of emergency during an address on state television.She announced the airport in Caracas was closed after sustaining heavy damage.
All schools and non-essential services were also suspended.President Donald Trump pledged support, saying he had “instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S.was “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance.”The quakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.Follow the latest on our liveblog.Staff Pick: Students are getting paid to make their classmates love AILeila Register ...