At least 32 people have been killed and more than 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds of each other, leaving buildings in ruins, trapping residents under debris, and plunging parts of the country into chaos.
The twin quakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck west of the capital Caracas at 6:04 p.m. local time on Wednesday. The tremors were so powerful that they were felt hundreds of kilometers away in Bogotá, Colombia.
Emergency crews worked through the night searching for survivors amid collapsed buildings in Caracas, where desperate calls for help could be heard from beneath the rubble. Rescue operations remain underway, with officials warning that the death toll could rise as teams reach the hardest-hit areas, according to news reports.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that at least 32 people had died and more than 700 others were injured. Authorities have declared a state of emergency as hospitals struggle to cope with the influx of casualties.
The disaster struck during a national holiday, when many Venezuelans were at home with their families. Witnesses described scenes of panic as buildings shook violently and residents rushed into the streets.
“My sister in Caracas sent me an audio message saying, ‘The house just shook horribly. It’s still shaking,'” a BBC journalist reported, capturing the fear felt across the capital as aftershocks continued.
Large parts of Caracas remain without electricity, while the city’s metro system has been completely shut down. Communications and transportation networks have also been disrupted, complicating rescue efforts and the delivery of emergency aid.
The scale of the disaster could prove far worse. Preliminary estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicated a 44% probability that the final death toll could exceed 10,000 and a 30% probability that fatalities could surpass 100,000, highlighting the potentially catastrophic impact of the earthquakes.
International support has begun pouring in. Rodríguez thanked U.S. President Donald Trump for offering assistance and said Washington had remained in constant contact with Venezuelan authorities. Trump said the United States “stands ready, willing, and able to help” and had instructed federal agencies to prepare emergency support.
Rodríguez also expressed gratitude to several world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chilean President José Antonio Kast, for their messages of solidarity as Venezuela confronts one of the most devastating natural disasters in its recent history.
With rescue workers still combing through collapsed structures and thousands of residents displaced, the full extent of the destruction remains unknown. For now, hopes are focused on finding survivors as the nation grapples with the aftermath of a tragedy that has shaken Venezuela to its core.
