At least 164 people died and more than 970 were injured in Venezuela after two powerful consecutive earthquakes shook the country, the country's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, said Thursday morning.

The number of victims is expected to increase.

The strong earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 occurred 39 seconds apart, according to the United States Geological Survey, USGS.

Then there were about 30 aftershocks, Rodríguez said.

Thousands of people spent the night outdoors for fear of aftershocks, while rescue and recovery operations continue in Caracas and other affected areas, such as the state of La Guaira.

The USGS said there is a greater than 99% chance of aftershocks of magnitude 3 or greater occurring over the next week, with between 150 and 860 of them most likely occurring.

Venezuela is located in a seismically active zone where two tectonic plates converge: the Caribbean and South America.

The seismic doublet occurred “as a result of a shallow horizontal strike-slip fault near the complex plate boundary between the Caribbean and South American plates,” the USGS explained.

"This movement occurs primarily across a major dextral horizontal strike-slip fault system that crosses northern Venezuela. The location of the earthquake, its shallow depth (10.0 km), and the dextral horizontal strike-slip mechanism are consistent with a rupture along this plate boundary system, specifically on the Boconó fault system."

Given the possible aftershocks, the USGS recommended that the population remain alert and look for a safe place if it is one of great intensity.

Many people are choosing to set up tents in the streets, due to fear of aftershocks or the collapse of damaged buildings.

Others sleep on mattresses, mats or on sheets in gardens or sidewalks waiting to find out if they can return to their homes.