Venezuela has declared a state of emergency after two powerful earthquakes struck near the capital, Caracas, within seconds of each other, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 700 in one of the country’s worst natural disasters in decades.
In response to the disaster, interim President Delcy Rodríguez announced emergency measures, including the suspension of airport, rail, and public transport services. Authorities have also ordered the closure of schools for the remainder of the week as the country focuses on rescue and recovery operations.
Emergency crews are working around the clock to search for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. In several areas of Caracas, rescuers have been combing through piles of concrete and twisted metal amid fears that more victims remain buried under the rubble.
The municipality of Chacao has emerged as one of the hardest-hit areas, with at least two buildings reported to have collapsed completely. Images from the scene show streets littered with debris and heavily damaged structures, highlighting the scale of the destruction.
More than 20 aftershocks have rattled Venezuela’s northern coastline since the initial quakes, raising concerns about further building collapses and complicating rescue efforts. Authorities have urged residents to evacuate damaged homes and avoid structures that may have been weakened by the tremors.
The earthquakes were felt far beyond Venezuela’s borders, with reports of shaking in Bogotá, Colombia, more than 1,000 kilometers away. Seismologists described the event as one of the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.
The disaster has also disrupted essential services. Fuel supplies into Caracas have been temporarily suspended, while internet outages have affected communications in several areas, creating additional challenges for emergency responders and residents seeking information.
President Rodríguez expressed her condolences to the families of those who lost their lives and pledged that all available resources would be directed toward relief efforts. She emphasized that saving lives remains the government’s immediate priority as assessments of the damage continue.
With rescue teams still searching for survivors and aftershocks continuing to shake the region, authorities warn that the death toll could rise. For now, Venezuela remains focused on a massive emergency response as communities struggle to recover from a disaster that has left the nation shaken.
The twin tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit at approximately 6:04 p.m. local time on Wednesday. The second and stronger quake followed just 39 seconds after the first, amplifying the destruction and triggering panic among residents across the capital and surrounding regions.
