Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at extensive earthquake damage in Venezuela, Western Europe’s deadly heat wave, and deteriorating ties between Poland and Ukraine.

Thousands of people across Venezuela are feared dead after twin earthquakes devastated large parts of the country. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes hit northern Venezuela in rapid succession late Wednesday, triggering aftershocks that could be felt throughout the region. Now, search-and-rescue operations are racing to find survivors among the wreckage, though poor infrastructure and hollowed-out government funding are likely to hinder their efforts.

Welcome back to World Brief, where we’re looking at extensive earthquake damage in Venezuela, Western Europe’s deadly heat wave, and deteriorating ties between Poland and Ukraine.

Thousands of people across Venezuela are feared dead after twin earthquakes devastated large parts of the country. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes hit northern Venezuela in rapid succession late Wednesday, triggering aftershocks that could be felt throughout the region. Now, search-and-rescue operations are racing to find survivors among the wreckage, though poor infrastructure and hollowed-out government funding are likely to hinder their efforts.

At time of writing, Wednesday’s earthquakes had killed at least 164 people and injured nearly 1,000 others. With thousands more reported missing, officials expect the death toll to rise, particularly in the northern coastal region of La Guaira, where some of the worst damage was sustained. “La Guaira state is a true tragedy and has become a disaster zone,” acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Thursday.

The capital of Caracas also sustained extensive destruction. Large swaths of the city lost power and cellphone coverage, heavy damage forced Simón Bolívar International Airport to close, and the Caracas stock exchange announced that it would suspend trading to assess its infrastructure and staff.

Wednesday’s twin quakes were among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. On Thursday, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged locals to remain outside to avoid the fallout of aftershocks; buildings as far as Brazil’s Amazon, located more than 1,000 miles away from Caracas, have been........

© Foreign Policy