Venezuelan baseball is disrupted by massive, 7.1 magnitude earthquake

A pair of earthquakes shook Venezuela on Wednesday, collapsing buildings across the country and reportedly killing scores of people.

The earthquakes struck shortly after 6 p.m. local time, causing panic across the country. In Caracas, the nation's capital, people were seen evacuating buildings and pouring into the streets after feeling the tremors.

Among those caught in the disaster were a pair of Venezuelan Major League clubs playing in Caracas when the earthquakes struck.

Here's what we know so far about the natural disaster, which is expected to have caused thousands of casualties.

Watch Venezuelan baseball game get disrupted by 7.1 magnitude earthquake

Back-to-back earthquakes slammed Venezuela, cutting down buildings in the nation's capital, Caracas.

The quakes registered magnitudes of 7.1 and 7.5, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Its epicenter landed in Moron, located on the country's Caribbean coast. The earthquakes represent some of the largest to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

A baseball game between Senadores de Caracas and Guerreros de Lara, two Venezuelan Major League sides, was affected by the natural disaster. A video caught footage of the carnage, with players from both sides darting to the middle of the field in an effort to protect themselves.

7.1 magnitude earthquake shook the stadium during a baseball game in Caracas, Venezuela pic.twitter.com/sPr3nfNVHF

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told reporters that the earthquake could be felt in several states, per The Associated Press. The USGS said that high casualties are likely. The organization initially estimated that between 10,000 and 100,000 people had perished as a result of the disaster.

“We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”