Earthquakes above 7.0 magnitude in Venezuela, dozens of deaths and hundreds injured

Venezuela

Citizens and police, with minimal equipment, are digging by hand in earthquake-hit neighborhoods in Caracas, in an attempt to find survivors, hours after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela...

Citizens and police officers, with minimal equipment, are digging by hand in the Los Palos Grandes and San Bernardino neighborhoods, while thousands of people refuse to return to their homes for fear of aftershocks.

Caracas resembles a war zone. At night, people were on the streets, walking with bags, suitcases, dogs, bird cages and cats, looking for a place to spend the night. The earthquake shook the city, and the fear of returning to the buildings that were still standing forced them to leave.

Two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck northern Venezuela just 39 seconds apart at around 6:00 p.m. local time on Wednesday (early Thursday). The quake hit the capital, Caracas, in particular, but information about the event remained limited and there was still very little official data four hours after the tremors.

The epicenter was located northwest of the municipality of Montalban, in the state of Carabobo, at a depth of only 13 kilometers, which increased the intensity of the tremors on the surface. The earthquake was felt from Trujillo to La Guaira and reached Caracas, about 300 kilometers away. This is considered to be the most severe earthquake to hit the capital since 1967, when a 6.7-magnitude earthquake left 236 dead and about 2,000 injured. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency.

Andres Escobar, a 60-year-old taxi driver, had just dropped off some passengers at a hotel in Caracas when the ground began to shake beneath his feet. His car was crushed in the middle by debris.

"Stones and pieces of the building were flying everywhere. The impact was terrible," he recounts, his hands bruised.

A few meters away, on First Street in the Los Palos Grandes neighborhood of Caracas, one of the towers of the Petunia housing complex collapsed completely. The collapse occurred in almost the same place where, almost 60 years earlier, other buildings collapsed during the 1967 earthquake. Throughout the area, houses were flattened, while collapsed walls left living rooms exposed.

Near the ruins of the Petunia building, neighbors and rescue teams, mostly police officers without special equipment, are trying to pull out trapped people. They are looking for ropes, flashlights and water. There is not even a ladder at the scene. Evacuations have been ordered in neighboring buildings for fear of further collapses, while water pipes, damaged by the earthquake, are making it difficult for residents to leave.

Michael Alicastro, who lives in one of the buildings, now cracked by the earthquake, helped pull five people and a pet out of the 14-story building that collapsed. "We were on the street and had to hold on to cars," he describes.

Family members of residents call out the names of their loved ones from the edge of the rubble. "Antonio is alive!", a woman manages to shout after communicating with a person trapped under the rubble.

Some neighbors have gone into the rubble themselves to search for others. At least 20 aftershocks were felt after the main earthquake. Citizens have mobilized to help firefighters and rescue teams in search and rescue operations.

In San Bernardino, another neighborhood of Caracas, a human chain passes buckets of construction debris in an attempt to remove the mass of concrete under which the residents of the Juvenal building are trapped, a six-story building in the north of Caracas, which, like Los Palos Grandes, is located in one of the capital's seismic zones.

Three hours after the earthquake, a crane arrived at the scene to move the heaviest slabs of a building built more than 60 years ago, so that the operation could begin to extract victims and survivors.

Residents shone flashlights through the mountain of rubble, searching for their loved ones. Around them, family members waited and cried. One woman didn't even make it to her daughter's house; she collapsed to the ground after suffering a nervous breakdown when she learned that her daughter was trapped under the rubble.

"Stethoscope!", rescue teams can be heard shouting.

"Quiet!" come the cries from among the piles of concrete that once formed the Juvenal building.

Rescue teams are deployed on the ground with stretchers. Up until that point, they had not recovered any bodies, but there are still signs of life.

Earthquakes in Venezuela

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in quick succession, killing at least 32 people and injuring 700, acting President Delcy Rodríguez said. The quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck an area west of the capital and were felt as far away as Bogota, Colombia.

Earlier, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimated that there is a 44% probability that the death toll will exceed 10,000 people and a 30% probability that it will exceed 100,000.

Rescue teams in the capital are searching through the rubble for survivors, while people have been heard calling for help.

Many buildings have been left without electricity and the subway system has been completely shut down.

Venezuela was celebrating a national holiday and many people were in their homes when the earthquakes struck at 6:04 p.m. (local time).

Many shocked residents in Caracas spent the night outside. Fears remain of aftershocks, or that buildings damaged by the earthquake could suddenly collapse. Many are also waiting for news of their loved ones.

Authorities have asked people to leave their homes while the damage is assessed, but not everyone has a place to take shelter after the earthquakes.

Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, thanked US President Donald Trump in a post on social media, saying she has been in constant contact with Venezuelan authorities.

Meanwhile, the experience of shaking in a television studio has gone viral on social media, showing the horror that journalists experienced live.

Venezuela

Chacao Mayor Gustavo Duque says rescue teams are hearing voices of survivors under the rubble and promises that operations will continue until every possible person is rescued...

Rescue teams working through the night in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital, are reporting that they are hearing cries for help from people trapped under rubble, said the mayor of Chacao municipality, Gustavo Duque.

In a video posted on Instagram, Duque said that 23 people have been rescued so far. "Fortunately, we hear that people are alive under the rubble. We will save everyone," he said.

The mayor added that emergency teams will not cease operations until they have rescued every person possible.

"We will not leave here until we save the last person we can and I believe that, with God's help, we will achieve this," Duque declared.

According to him, all the rescued are receiving medical treatment at health centers in the area. Search and rescue operations continue with intensity, while authorities hope to find more survivors under the rubble.

Donald Trump

US President Donald Trump has reacted to Truth Social regarding the earthquakes in Venezuela.

He stated that the US will come to the aid of the Venezuelan people in this difficult time.

"The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are of gigantic proportions and have left a devastating toll. The United States stands ready, willing, and able to assist!" Trump said.

Trump added that he has "ordered all government agencies to prepare to act quickly."

"We will be there for our friends, young and old. The preliminary reports are not good!!!", added the US president. 

So far, there are no official public reports on the number of victims.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the country is "immediately sending search and rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian assistance" to Venezuela.

Residents of Venezuela

Two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 have struck Venezuela. Authorities warn that the death toll could rise significantly as rescue teams continue to search through the rubble.

Initial figures published show at least 32 people have died and around 700 others have been injured, while several hundred buildings in Caracas and surrounding areas have collapsed.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.2 earthquake was initially recorded about 160 kilometers west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by another with a magnitude of 7.5.

Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, said the preliminary toll does not yet include victims in the state of La Guaira, one of the worst-hit areas, where the capital's international airport is located.

The USGS estimates that, based on damage prediction models, the death toll could reach thousands, with a significant possibility that it could exceed 10,000.

"Dozens of buildings have collapsed and rescue teams are working non-stop to find survivors," Rodríguez declared on state television, calling the situation a national tragedy and expressing condolences to the families of the victims.

Venezuelan authorities announced that international rescue teams are expected to arrive in the coming hours. US President Donald Trump stated that the United States is ready to provide humanitarian assistance.

Witnesses: "The scenes resembled a horror movie"

Footage from Caracas shows emergency teams searching for survivors among the rubble, while family members anxiously wait for news.

"When we went outside, everything looked like a horror movie. We were forced to walk over the rubble. I only saw one family that managed to get out of the building," said a resident near one of the collapsed buildings.

According to local authorities, several people lost their lives after buildings collapsed in the Baruta and Chacao neighborhoods of Caracas.

A tsunami warning was issued after the earthquakes, which was canceled shortly after the danger passed.

Many residents immediately left their homes and spent the night outdoors for fear of further tremors.

"I heard a very loud noise. Everything in the house started falling. I've never experienced anything like this," said a Caracas resident.

A journalist in the capital reported that people started screaming as soon as the shaking began and rushed down the stairs to get out.

The airport was closed, schools suspended classes

Authorities closed Maiquetía International Airport due to infrastructure damage. Metro and rail services were suspended, while schools were canceled for the rest of the week.

Hospitals in Caracas increased the number of personnel on duty to cope with the influx of wounded.

According to authorities, no major damage to oil industry infrastructure has been reported so far, while energy companies operating in the country have announced that their personnel are safe.

Leaders from Brazil, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and other countries have expressed their willingness to help Venezuela, while the US State Department announced that it is coordinating assistance with Venezuelan authorities. / Pamphlet adapted from Reuters and The Guardian/

Acting President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez

Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, has declared a state of emergency after the country was hit by two powerful earthquakes one after the other, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.

Rodríguez also announced the appointment of a general to coordinate and oversee emergency response operations across the country.

She has been temporarily leading Venezuela since January, following the arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro by US authorities and his transfer to New York, where he is facing drug trafficking charges.

In her speech to citizens, Rodríguez called for unity and solidarity in the face of the current situation.

The acting president also expressed condolences to the families who have lost relatives as a result of the earthquakes, but did not provide an official tally of the number of victims.

Two earthquakes shake Venezuela

Venezuela has been rocked by two strong earthquakes that have left at least 32 dead and around 700 injured. The news was confirmed by acting president Delcy Rodríguez.

According to preliminary data, the first earthquake reached magnitude 7.2, while just a few seconds later the country was hit by another, even stronger tremor, with magnitude 7.5.

The epicenter of the second earthquake was located about 23 kilometers southeast of the city of Yumare, near the coast and about 300 kilometers from the capital Caracas.

The tremors occurred at 18:04 local time, at a time when the country was celebrating national holidays and most citizens were in their homes. The earthquakes were felt almost throughout Venezuela, as well as in areas as far away as Bogotá, Colombia.

Local authorities and media are reporting significant problems with communication networks, especially in Caracas, Miranda and La Guaira. Telephone and internet outages have hampered contact between families and the efforts of many citizens to obtain information on the condition of their relatives in the affected areas.

Experts point out that such outages are common after strong earthquakes, due to network overload and possible damage to telecommunications infrastructure. So far, companies in the sector have not provided an official explanation for the cause of the reported problems.

View from Venezuela

A grave tragedy struck Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes struck in quick succession in the early hours of Thursday. 

Authorities have released the first figures on the number of victims and injured. According to preliminary data, at least 32 people lost their lives and about 700 were injured, but there are fears that the number of victims will increase significantly, international media report, referring to local authorities.

The country's acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, along with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodriguez, addressed the nation officially declaring the country under a state of emergency, while appointing a general to oversee operations.

Earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Venezuela within seconds.

The epicenter was northwest of the municipality of Montalban, in the state of Carabobo in central Venezuela.

The quake also struck the capital Caracas, about 300 kilometers east of the epicenter. The U.S. National Tsunami Warning Center said the two quakes formed a "seismic twin," a rare phenomenon in which two strong earthquakes of roughly equal magnitude occur in the same area or very close to each other within a short period of time.

The international community has urgently committed to sending rescue teams.

US President Donald Trump stressed that US authorities are "ready and able to assist Venezuela."

"The major earthquakes that have struck the great people of Venezuela are extraordinary in magnitude and have caused a terrible toll," Trump said, adding that "the United States is ready, willing, and able to help!"

Earlier, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau assured via X that Washington is in "contact" with authorities and that they are "mobilizing assistance" for earthquake victims.

El Salvador's President, Nayib Bukele, said his country has prepared 50 tons of equipment and supplies, as well as 300 rescue workers who are "ready to leave for Caracas."

Ecuador has also taken steps to immediately send aid to Venezuela, says its president Daniel Noboa Azin.

Meanwhile, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said his country would assess what aid measures it could take to support its "brother nation."

Mexican Foreign Minister Roberto Velasco Alvarez also offered Venezuela "all the solidarity and support it may need."

An official death toll has not yet been released...

Two very powerful earthquakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), struck Venezuela one after the other on Wednesday, causing the collapse of many buildings and panic among residents of the capital, Caracas.

No official death toll has been published so far.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and announced that the international airport serving the capital has suffered severe damage, while its activity has been suspended until further notice.

Rodríguez expressed his condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, but avoided publishing any figures on the number of dead and injured.

According to the acting president, authorities also suspended the operation of schools and rail transport.

According to USGS data, the first earthquake, which the institute described as a precursor, with a magnitude of 7.2, was recorded at 18:04 local time, at a depth of 21.9 kilometers, about 200 kilometers west of Caracas.

The second earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5 and a focal depth of 10 kilometers, occurred just 39 seconds later, about 45 kilometers from the first epicenter. About 20 strong aftershocks were then recorded.

The USGS warned that this "double earthquake" could cause widespread damage and "thousands" of casualties.

In Caracas, AFP photojournalists saw search and rescue teams set up near collapsed buildings. Rescuers pulled people from the rubble on stretchers, while others were transported by ambulance to hospitals.

Korrespondentja e AFP-së pa një pallat 22-katësh të shembur plotësisht në lagjen Altamira. Jashtë ndërtesës, njerëzit thërrisnin emrat e të afërmve të tyre, ndërsa vullnetarët ngjiteshin mbi rrënoja në kërkim të të mbijetuarve.

"Na duhen elektrikë dore", bërtiste njëri prej tyre ndërsa binte nata.

Ministri i Brendshëm, Diosdado Cabello, konfirmoi se disa ndërtesa janë shembur në kryeqytet dhe shtoi se kishte urdhëruar ndërprerjen e furnizimit me gaz natyror.

"Disa ndërtesa kanë pësuar dëme dhe duam të shmangim çdo aksident që mund të lidhet me rrjedhjet e gazit", shpjegoi ai.

Ai foli gjithashtu për të plagosur, por nuk dha asnjë bilanc zyrtar.

Situata mbetet ende e paqartë në qytetet Puerto Cabello dhe San Felipe, të cilat ndodhen më afër epiqendrës dhe kanë një popullsi prej mbi 400 mijë banorësh.

"Ishte e pabesueshme..."

Shumë banorë të frikësuar dolën me nxitim në rrugë. Ata qëndruan jashtë edhe gjatë natës, pasi kishin frikë të ktheheshin në shtëpitë e tyre për shkak të mundësisë së pasgoditjeve dhe shembjes së ndërtesave.

"Ishte e pabesueshme. Nuk e di sa zgjati. Isha në katin e fundit dhe sendet filluan të binin", tregoi 42-vjeçarja Heidi Romero, pronare e një dyqani që punon në një qendër tregtare në Altamira.

"I gjithë muri u mbush me çarje, nga tavani binin copa. Ishte e tmerrshme", tha Odalis Escalona, 54 vjeçe, punonjëse banke.

Në kryeqytet u raportuan ndërprerje të energjisë elektrike, ndërsa shumë rrugë ishin mbuluar me copa xhami.

69-vjeçarja Carmen Guedes ndodhej në dhomën e motrës së saj të sëmurë, e cila është e shtrirë në shtrat, kur toka nisi të dridhej.

"Intensiteti vetëm sa shtohej", tha ajo.

"Nisa të shihja dritaret duke u dridhur dhe më pas lëkundej gjithçka. Unë, motra ime dhe një fqinje u përqafuam fort me njëra-tjetrën. Nuk mundëm të dilnim jashtë", shtoi ajo.

Mbyllet aeroporti

Aeroporti Ndërkombëtar "Simón Bolívar", në Maiquetía të shtetit La Guaira, rreth 40 kilometra nga Karakasi, u mbyll "për shkak të dëmeve të rënda", deklaroi presidentja në detyrë Delcy Rodríguez në fjalimin e saj drejtuar kombit.

Pamjet e publikuara nga deputeti Wilmer Azuaje tregojnë pjesë të tavanit të shembura në terminalin e aeroportit dhe pasagjerë që largohen të tmerruar.

Lëkundjet u ndjenë fuqishëm edhe në Kolumbinë fqinje, megjithëse Bogota ndodhet rreth 1.000 kilometra larg Karakasit në vijë ajrore.

According to Colombia's National Unit for Risk and Disaster Management, "there is no tsunami risk on the Colombian Caribbean coast."

On the other hand, the US Tsunami Warning Center initially warned of the risk of potentially destructive waves that could hit Puerto Rico, the US and British Virgin Islands, as well as the islands of Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire near the coast of Venezuela.

However, about an hour later, the warning was withdrawn.

/Adapted from AFP / USGS/

View from Venezuela

Venezuela is in a state of emergency after two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale shook the country. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that the death toll could be between 10,000 and 100,000...

An unspeakable tragedy struck Venezuela after two very strong earthquakes. The country's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, along with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, addressed the nation in a televised statement, officially declaring a state of emergency in the country. She also appointed a general to oversee emergency operations.

The devastating quake struck during a national holiday, a day off commemorating the historic military victory of 1821 that brought the country independence from Spain. As such, most citizens were in their homes at the time of the quake.

The disaster was caused by a rare geological phenomenon, as the country was hit by two major earthquakes just seconds apart. The first tremor, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, struck at 6:04 p.m. local time, about 160 kilometers west of Caracas, where the Caribbean tectonic plate meets the South American plate.

Before the first tremor ended, another, even more powerful, followed, with a magnitude of 7.5.

The earthquakes were felt across Venezuela and also shook the Colombian capital, Bogotá. Due to their strength, authorities immediately issued a tsunami warning for Puerto Rico, the US and British Virgin Islands, Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, which was lifted an hour later.

According to the French agency AFP, more than 20 strong aftershocks have been recorded so far.

The scene in the capital Caracas, which was also hit by a devastating 6.3-magnitude earthquake in 1967, resembles a war zone. Dozens of high-rise buildings and apartments have collapsed, while the San Bernardino and Palos Grandes neighborhoods have suffered catastrophic damage.

The streets are filled with frightened residents who have abandoned their homes, taking their families and pets with them. Meanwhile, the city is plunged into darkness due to a general power outage.

Journalists and eyewitnesses report scenes of chaos. People trapped under the concrete rubble can be heard shouting: "Help! We're here!"

Authorities and rescue teams are racing against time throughout the night, while residents have been urged not to return to buildings and stay in public squares.

In the municipality of Chacao, Mayor Gustavo Duque said rescue teams had pulled 18 people alive from a collapsed building alone, while in the coastal state of Falcón at least 22 people were reported injured and 15 people were missing.

In addition to Caracas and Falcón, the greatest damage was recorded along the northern coast, in the states of La Guaira, Aragua and Carabobo.

Severe damage to infrastructure, airport closed

The country's infrastructure has suffered severe damage. Maiquetía International Airport, Venezuela's main international airport, was immediately closed due to serious structural damage.

Video footage shows clouds of dust falling from the ceilings and terrified passengers running through corridors to escape.

At the same time, hospitals such as the Caracas Clinical Hospital have placed staff on double night shifts to cope with the influx of wounded, while school classes have been suspended for the rest of the week.

Major oil infrastructure on Lake Maracaibo does not appear to have been directly affected, as none of the cities with the most damage include such facilities.

However, energy companies, including state-owned PDVSA and Chevron, are verifying the condition of their personnel before making official assessments. Market sources warn that the prolonged power outage could temporarily affect crude oil production.

Alarming estimates of the number of victims

Although interim president Delcy Rodríguez expressed condolences to the families of the victims without releasing an official toll, the US Geological Survey (USGS) warns that the disaster is likely to be very severe.

According to the USGS assessment system, there is a 44% probability that the death toll will be between 10,000 and 100,000, bringing back memories of the historic earthquake of 1812.

Rodríguez's government, which according to the text took over the country after the ouster of Nicolás Maduro by the US in January, announced that it would seek urgent funding from multilateral organizations for reconstruction.

International reaction

The tragedy caused an immediate reaction from the international community.

US President Donald Trump, in a post on the Truth Social platform, spoke of a "catastrophic number of victims," ​​based on initial reports, emphasizing that the United States is ready and able to help Venezuela.

He added that he has instructed all US government agencies to act swiftly to support Venezuela, while the US Embassy in Caracas urged American citizens to seek safe haven.

Venezuela is located in a zone of high seismic activity, where the Caribbean tectonic plate meets the South American plate. According to the USGS, about 30,000 people died in the powerful earthquake of 1812, which caused extensive destruction in the cities of Mérida and Caracas. / Pamphlet /