Costa Rica has expressed its solidarity with Venezuela following two powerful earthquakes that struck the South American nation on Wednesday evening, leaving at least 164 people dead and nearly 1,000 injured.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conveyed its "deepest solidarity" with the Venezuelan people as they cope with the aftermath of the disaster.

"In these difficult times, we express our wishes for strength and a speedy recovery for the entire Venezuelan population," the ministry said.

Costa Rican authorities did not indicate whether the government is evaluating possible assistance for Venezuela.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck at approximately 6:04 p.m. local time. The quake's epicenter was located about 16 miles from the city of San Felipe the Venezuela State of Yaracuy.

Less than a minute later, a second and even stronger earthquake measuring magnitude 7.5 struck about 19 miles from the same city of roughly 220,000 residents.

The USGS warned that "high casualties and extensive damage are probable" and that the disaster is likely widespread.

Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez said during a national press conference that rescue crews worked throughout the night in Caracas and other parts of the country. Authorities reported that the two earthquakes killed at least 164 people and injured nearly 1,000 others.

Rodríguez, who has led the country since Nicolás Maduro was captured by U.S. soldiers during a raid in January, declared a state of emergency and extended condolences to families who lost loved ones in the disaster.

The earthquakes caused several buildings to collapse and triggered major damage and widespread power outages in Caracas, the nation's capital, located about 200 miles from the epicenter.

In Costa Rica, earthquakes along the Central Pacific Coast are common and can originate either in the subduction zone or from local faults within the continental crust, according to the Volcanological and Seismological Observatory (Ovsicori) at the National University.

Costa Rica experiences an average of 400 earthquakes each month, making it one of the most seismically active countries in the region, according to experts.

The strongest earthquake ever recorded in Costa Rica occurred on April 22, 1991. Known as the Limón earthquake, the magnitude 7.7 temblor struck the La Estrella Valley in Limón Province at 3:57 p.m. The quake was felt from Nicaragua to Panama and resulted in 48 deaths in Costa Rica and 79 in Panama.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs oversees the country’s foreign policy and manages its diplomatic missions worldwide.

Ovsicori is a research institute of the National University dedicated to monitoring volcanic and seismic activity.

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