Venezuela Earthquake Disaster: Two Powerful Quakes Kill 164, Injure Nearly 1,000 as Rescue Operations Intensify
Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck Venezuela, killing at least 164 people and injuring nearly 1,000. Rescue operations are underway in La Guaira and Caracas.
Rescue teams rushed to the worst-hit areas of Venezuela on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck the country on Wednesday evening, killing at least 164 people, injuring nearly 1,000, and trapping many beneath collapsed buildings.
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The earthquakes, among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, caused widespread destruction across the country. Authorities have launched large-scale rescue operations, while the country’s main airport has been damaged and closed. The death toll currently stands at 164, and search efforts are ongoing.
Twin Earthquakes Cause Widespread Destruction
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake measured 7.2 magnitude and struck west of Moron on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers (105 miles) west of Caracas.
The quake occurred at a depth of 22 kilometers (about 14 miles).
Just one minute later, a second earthquake measuring 7.5 magnitude struck with a depth of 10 kilometers (about 6 miles) and an epicenter 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Moron.
The tremors were felt across the region, including in Brazil’s Amazon, approximately 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) from Caracas.
La Guaira Declared a Disaster Zone
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said rescue teams from other parts of the country were being shifted to La Guaira, located north of Caracas on the coast.
She described La Guaira as a “disaster zone” and one of the areas hardest hit due to the large number of collapsed buildings.
State television footage showed three children being rescued alive from the rubble.
Rodriguez said:
“Dozens of buildings have collapsed there … and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives.”
Officials are using daylight hours to accelerate rescue efforts for people believed to remain trapped under collapsed structures.
Residents Search for Missing Family Members
Television broadcasts showed rescue workers using power tools to cut through rubble where buildings once stood.
Residents searched through debris, collapsed buildings and toppled electric poles looking for missing relatives and friends.
On Thursday morning, families in Venezuela and abroad struggled to contact loved ones.
Many posted missing-person flyers with photographs, while others circulated handwritten lists of names in an effort to locate those still unaccounted for.
Panic in Caracas After Powerful Tremors
The earthquakes sent thousands of residents fleeing from swaying buildings in Caracas.
Columns of dust rose over several neighborhoods as walls collapsed and buildings suffered severe structural damage.
Caracas resident Hector Ricci said:
“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together.”
Hundreds of residents spent the night in parks, parking lots and other open areas.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged people to remain outdoors because aftershocks could further weaken damaged structures.
Families Spend Night Outdoors
Among those affected was Maria Cristina Diaz, a 41-year-old janitor.
She said:
“We were afraid the buildings would collapse on us.”
Diaz added:
“My mother, my daughter and I were cold. We didn’t sleep a wink; but I didn’t want to spend the night alone at home after that terrible earthquake.”
She also said:
“It was awful. We cried, we screamed. Thankfully, we’re alive.”
Diaz and her family spent the night at Plaza Candelaria in downtown Caracas, one of the few nearby open spaces.
Airport Damaged, Services Suspended
According to Delcy Rodriguez, the earthquakes damaged and forced the closure of Simon Bolivar International Airport, Venezuela’s main airport.
Several areas also experienced:
- Power outages
- Cellphone service disruptions
- Suspension of Caracas subway services
- Temporary shutdown of natural gas services
The Ministry of Education announced that classes would be cancelled for several days.
Some school buildings will be converted into shelters and donation centers.
UN Calls for Access to Reliable Information
The United Nations Human Rights Mission in Venezuela called on the Venezuelan government to lift local restrictions on social media.
The mission stated:
“In the coming hours and days, timely access to reliable information and communication channels will be essential for the protection of the lives, safety, and well-being of the population.”
The statement came amid ongoing communication challenges following the disaster.
State of Emergency Declared
Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency on Wednesday night.
She announced the creation of a USD 200 million reconstruction fund for hospitals and homes damaged by the earthquakes.
The acting president said the economy and finance ministers had been instructed to oversee reconstruction efforts.
International Assistance Begins Arriving
Offers of support have come from governments around the world.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was:
“Immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.”
Rubio added:
“We will have a whole government response. It will be big. It will be fast. It will be effective.”
He also stated that one runway at Caracas’ international airport had cracked, making aircraft landings difficult.
Rodriguez thanked U.S. President Donald Trump and later said she spoke with Rubio by telephone.
She also acknowledged support and assistance offers from multiple countries.
According to Rodriguez:
- Ecuador has ordered humanitarian aid deliveries.
- Qatar has sent rescue personnel.
- Mexico has sent rescue personnel.
- El Salvador has sent rescue personnel.
President Nayib Bukele wrote on X:
“We send you all our solidarity and our prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela.”
Venezuela is facing one of the deadliest natural disasters in its recent history after twin 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck near Moron on June 25, killing at least 164 people, injuring nearly 1,000, and causing extensive damage across the country. The worst-hit area, La Guaira, has been declared a disaster zone, while rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped under collapsed buildings. A state of emergency has been declared, a USD 200 million reconstruction fund has been announced, and international assistance is arriving as rescue and recovery operations remain ongoing.
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