At least 164 people have died and 971 others were injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Thursday, as rescue crews rushed to reach people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes were among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than 100 years. Tremors were felt across the region, including in Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometres from Caracas. The earthquakes also damaged and closed Simón Bolívar International Airport, Venezuela’s main airport, while officials suspended subway service in Caracas and shut off natural gas.
La Guaira Declared Disaster Zone
State television showed rescue crews cutting through piles of concrete and debris with power tools. In La Guaira state, north of Caracas, footage showed three children covered in dust but alive as crews pulled them from the rubble.
Rodríguez described La Guaira as a “disaster zone” and said authorities were moving rescue teams from other parts of the country to the coastal state, where many buildings collapsed.
“Dozens of buildings have collapsed there … and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives,” Rodríguez said.
She also urged businesses to provide heavy construction equipment for rescue work and said United Nations-certified search and rescue teams were heading to Venezuela.
Residents Flee Homes As Aftershocks Feared
In Caracas, residents ran from swaying buildings as walls crumbled and dust rose from busy neighbourhoods. Some people later searched through debris near collapsed buildings and toppled power poles, hoping to find missing relatives.
“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” Caracas resident Hector Ricci said.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told people to remain outside because aftershocks could further weaken damaged structures. Many stayed in streets for hours, while others spent the night in parked cars, subway stations and public spaces.
Roberto Gamas, another Caracas resident, said the building he was in “shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong.”
Cellphone outages added to the fear, especially for families abroad trying to reach loved ones in Venezuela. More than 7.7 million people have left the country during its long-running crisis, and many turned to social media Thursday to post photos of missing relatives and ask for help.
Classes will remain cancelled for several days, while some schools will serve as shelters and donation centres as rescue and recovery efforts continue.
