Two of the most powerful earthquakes to strike Venezuela in more than a century tore through the country on Wednesday evening, killing at least 164 people, injuring nearly 1,000 others and leaving thousands more unaccounted for as rescuers worked through the night to pull survivors from the rubble of collapsed buildings across the capital, Caracas.
The twin earthquakes, of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck in quick succession, causing widespread damage, especially in the capital. Seismologists confirmed that a massive 7.2 foreshock first struck near the municipality of San Felipe, the capital of Yaracuy state, with a catastrophic 7.5 mainshock occurring merely 40 seconds later just southeast of Yumare — the largest recorded earthquake to strike Venezuela and the strongest in over 125 years.
The quakes hit at around 6:04 p.m. local time as Venezuela was marking a national holiday commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo. Many residents were at home when the ground began to shake.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who declared a national state of emergency, confirmed the casualty figures early Thursday and warned that they were expected to climb.
“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. “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.”
Rodríguez said the initial toll did not include casualties from La Guaira state, north of Caracas and home to the city’s airport, which she described as a “true tragedy” and a “disaster zone.”
Emergency Response
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, speaking during a live broadcast on state television, said that all security and emergency response agencies — including civil protection teams, volunteers, firefighters and police — had been fully deployed.
“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. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”
Venezuela’s largest airport, in Maiquetia on the coast north of Caracas, was closed due to damages, and classes were cancelled for the rest of the week as authorities began to take stock of the destruction. Hospitals were placed on emergency footing. At Caracas’s Hospital de Clinicas, staff were asked to double up on the night shift to help treat the injured.
Internet monitoring group NetBlocks reported that connectivity dropped sharply across Venezuela, falling to as low as 59 percent just after the earthquakes, potentially hampering rescue co-ordination and the flow of information from the worst-affected areas.
US President Donald Trump wrote on social media late Wednesday that he had “instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly,” adding: “We will be there for our new and great friends.”
Other countries including China, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico also offered assistance.
Chevron, which has the largest presence in Venezuela of any American oil company, said all its employees had been accounted for. “As a longtime employer and partner in Venezuela, we stand in solidarity with the country and its people during this difficult time,” a company spokesperson said.
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