Mexico city: Two powerful earthquakes striking within less than a minute have killed at least 164 people in Venezuela and left just under 1,000 injured, acting President Delcy Rodrguez told the VTV broadcaster on Thursday.
According to Ghana News Agency, data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that two quakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 occurred on Wednesday at around 6:04 pm (2204 GMT), just 39 seconds apart, about 170 kilometres west of the capital Caracas. Rodrguez reported that the Caribbean coastal state of La Guaira was the worst-affected region. La Guaira, home to Venezuela's main international airport and principal seaport, experienced widespread destruction, with dozens of buildings collapsing and many people feared trapped under rubble.
The government has declared a state of emergency. Germany, the United States, and other countries have offered assistance and announced the deployment of rescue teams. Rodrguez noted that the disaster had caused damage across several northern states and warned that the toll could still rise significantly. A model calculation by the USGS showed a very high likelihood of more than 1,000 deaths, though these figures could not be independently verified. It was also reported that the 7.5-magnitude earthquake was the strongest to hit the South American country since 1900. Venezuelans have described panic, destruction, and desperate escapes.
Rescue operations continued overnight and into the morning under difficult conditions. Reports from the scene described exhausted emergency crews and volunteers working without heavy equipment, often using only their hands and shovels to clear debris. RTVE correspondent Carolina Alcalde reported from Caracas that many civil defence workers were working with their bare hands. Equipment was arriving gradually, but it was not enough.
Footage from affected areas showed residents searching through rubble, while survivors described hearing cries for help during the night. One resident told RTVE that it was like something out of a horror film. The quakes struck on a public holiday marking Venezuela's commemoration of the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, leading to disrupted power and water supplies in many areas, while mobile networks and internet services were temporarily down.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello described the situation as extremely alarming and urged people to stay in safe places, mentioning that aftershocks were to be expected, which could cause already damaged buildings to collapse. To prevent explosions, authorities ordered the gas supply to be cut off.
Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Mara Corina Machado expressed solidarity with victims, writing on X that her heart, endless embrace, and prayers were with Venezuelan families during what she called hours of distress. Rail services were suspended nationwide, the international airport was closed due to damage, and the Caracas metro halted operations. Schools were also shut.
The disaster comes at a time of political upheaval in the oil-rich South American country. In January, former president Nicol¡s Maduro was captured by the US military and taken to the United States.