WEB DESK: At least 32 people have been confirmed dead and around 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela late Tuesday, causing widespread destruction in Caracas and surrounding regions.
Authorities fear the death toll could rise significantly as rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck approximately 160 kilometres west of Caracas. Just 39 seconds later, a stronger magnitude 7.5 quake hit nearby, creating a rare and destructive seismic doublet.
Emergency responders are working around the clock in the affected areas, where numerous buildings have been reduced to rubble. Officials warned that casualty figures remain incomplete, particularly from La Guaira state, one of the hardest-hit regions and home to Venezuela’s main international airport.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said more than 20 aftershocks have rattled the country since the initial earthquakes, complicating rescue operations and raising concerns about further structural damage.
Scenes of panic unfolded across Caracas as residents rushed into the streets when the tremors struck. Witnesses described moments of terror as buildings shook violently.
“The staircase separated and the walls cracked. Objects were falling from the ceiling. It was terrifying,” said Caracas resident Odalis Escalona.
In the Altamira district of the capital, a 22-storey residential building collapsed completely. Volunteers and emergency crews searched through the debris while desperate relatives called out the names of missing loved ones.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged residents to evacuate damaged buildings as a precaution. Authorities also suspended gas supplies to several structures to reduce the risk of explosions and other accidents.
The earthquakes caused severe damage to infrastructure across the region, including Maiquetía International Airport near Caracas. Officials announced the airport’s closure after significant damage was reported to its facilities, while images circulating online showed extensive destruction.
USGS reported that the first earthquake occurred near the coastal town of Morón, with the second and stronger quake striking roughly 45 kilometres away less than a minute later. Seismologists identified the earlier tremor as a foreshock to the magnitude 7.5 main event.
Search and rescue efforts remain ongoing as authorities assess the full scale of the disaster and continue to monitor aftershock activity.
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