Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring 700 more as buildings collapsed in and around the capital Caracas, interim President Delcy Rodriguez said.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 kilometres west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
The USGS, using predictive modelling to estimate the death toll, said it would most likely run into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000.
Rodriguez said initial figures do not include casualties from La Guaira state, near Caracas and home to the city’s airport, which is the worst affected.
“Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save,” she said in an appearance on state television just before 1 a.m. local time on Thursday.
“I also want to say that this is a true tragedy. From here, we send our message of solidarity, and to those families who have lost loved ones, we reaffirm our condolences and our support in these difficult hours.”
The country is focused on rescue efforts, including the arrival in the coming hours of rescue crews from other countries, she said, as she thanked leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump.
Trump said in a post on social media the U.S. was ready to help in the disaster.
“The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths,” said Trump, who ordered the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a violent raid in January.
Rodriguez declared a state of emergency as nearly two dozen aftershocks also shook the country. She said Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia, near Caracas, is closed because of damage and that classes would be cancelled for several days.
“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.” Rodríguez also asked all health care professionals in the country to report to hospitals to assist anyone who was injured.
The Ministry of Education late Wednesday said some schools would be used as shelters and donation centres.
“We have buildings, homes and houses which have collapsed, and we are taking care of things with everything we have available in terms of security, civil assistance,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said earlier. “The fire department, police all have been activated.”
In the coastal state of Falcon, Gov. Víctor Clark said 32 people had been hospitalized and more than four hours after the earthquake there were still 15 people trapped.
In Chacao, an eastern Caracas municipality, Mayor Gustavo Duque told broadcaster Globovision that two structures had collapsed, 16 people were injured and that there were deaths, too, though he gave no figure for fatalities.
“We’re going to do everything we can to rescue the most people possible,” he said.
Foreign leaders offer aid
Rodriguez has been running the country since the U.S. ouster of president Nicolás Maduro in January. She has hailed a new era of cooperation with the U.S. and other countries, especially on oil, mining and other industries.
The U.S. embassy in Caracas said it was closely monitoring the aftermath of the quake and urged citizens in the country to seek secure shelter and avoid damaged areas.
Deputy U.S. Secretary of State Christopher Landau said late Wednesday that the U.S. was in touch with Venezuelan authorities and mobilizing assistance for the South American nation. Under-Secretary Jeremy Lewin added on social media that the U.S. would be sending search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies and other resources.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, once diametrically opposed to Venezuela’s government, said he had offered aid Wednesday night on a post on X. “We send you all our solidarity and our prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela,” Bukele wrote.
Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and said he had ordered the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to help respond to the emergency. “Ecuador will respond with the speed and commitment this moment demands because, despite our enormous differences, humanity must always guide the actions of a leader,” Noboa wrote.
The quakes were the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.
Tsunami warning issued — and lifted
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands following the earthquake, adding that islands off the coast of Venezuela — Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire — could also be hit by hazardous waves. The warning was withdrawn about an hour later.
Many Venezuelans were at home when the quake hit, celebrating a public holiday commemorating an 1821 military victory that secured the country’s independence from Spain.
Residents in Caracas rushed to evacuate as the first quake shook buildings.
Electricity and internet affected
Maria Romero, an 80-year-old pensioner living on the south side of Caracas, said that police helped her evacuate from her building. “This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967,” she added.
Many residents in Caracas lost power or internet service right after the quake. The lack of cellphone signal in parts of Venezuela deepened the distress of many families, particularly those among the more than 7.7 million people who have left the country during its protracted crisis.
At Caracas’ Hospital de Clinicas, staff were asked to double up on the night shift to help treat the injured, a worker there said. Video filmed at the hospital showed a darkened hallway with ceiling panels hanging by cables and pieces of plaster scattered across the floor.
Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado, in exile after leaving Venezuela in December, took to social media to send prayers and wish strength to Venezuelans. “May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time,” she said on X.
One witness said cracks had formed up the side of their apartment and that glass in the entryway had shattered. Power went down shortly after, the witness said.
“Several walls in my building broke open or cracks formed,” a witness in Valencia, to the west of Caracas, told Reuters. “As soon as it stopped [shaking], my husband and I evacuated [the building].”
Venezuela’s interior minister said the quake could be felt in several states, adding that the Altamira neighbourhood in Caracas had “alarming situations” with collapsed homes and buildings.
Cabello urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could further damage some structures.
He also suggested people were injured in the earthquake, asking motorists to clear the way for ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
“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 on state television. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”
Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate.
