Rescuers race against time after twin earthquakes devastate Venezuela, killing at least 32
Two powerful earthquakes rattled Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, just seconds apart on Wednesday evening, leaving at least 32 dead and around 700 injured, according to the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.
The second tremor, registering a magnitude of 7.5, was among the strongest to hit the South American nation in a century, the US Geological Survey reported. The first, a magnitude 7.2 quake, struck the state of Yaracuy, west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometers, followed 39 seconds later by a more shallow 7.5 magnitude event about 10 kilometers deep near the same area.
Buildings swayed and some collapsed as residents flooded the streets. The quakes hit during a national holiday marking the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, a key victory in Venezuela’s independence struggle, leaving many caught off guard during celebrations.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and ordered the suspension of airport, rail, and transport services. Rescue crews are working frantically to find survivors trapped under debris, with fears that the casualty count could rise significantly.
“We are facing a very serious situation,” Rodríguez said in a televised address, expressing condolences to the families of the victims. The emergency declaration unlocks additional resources and personnel for recovery operations.
The epicenters of both quakes were outside Caracas, but the shaking was felt intensely across the city of roughly 5 million people. Tremors were also reported as far away as Bogotá, Colombia, more than 1,000 kilometers to the southwest. More than 20 aftershocks have since rattled the northern coastline, including areas like La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo, and Falcón.
The USGS warned that the affected region is particularly vulnerable due to the prevalence of buildings made from reinforced brick masonry and adobe blocks, which are highly susceptible to collapse under strong seismic shaking. The agency estimated a 36% probability that the death toll could reach up to 10,000 and a 40% chance it could climb as high as 100,000.
In the municipality of Chacao, part of greater Caracas, mayor Gustavo Duque Saez told reporters that at least two buildings had completely collapsed. He said 18 people had been rescued alive so far and that more than 500 emergency workers were on site, working through debris to locate additional survivors.
Photographs and videos circulating on social media show piles of rubble lining streets, with rescuers digging by hand and using heavy equipment. In some clips, voices can be heard crying for help from beneath the wreckage.
Many Venezuelans spent the night outdoors, as the interior ministry urged residents to leave damaged homes due to concerns over structural stability and potential gas leaks. Fuel deliveries to the capital have been halted, and internet blackouts were reported across the city. The main international airport, Maiquetía, on the outskirts of Caracas, was closed because of earthquake damage, and metro and train services nationwide were suspended. Schools will remain closed for the rest of the week, Rodríguez said.
The twin disasters come at a time when Venezuela is already grappling with a protracted economic crisis, political turmoil, and crumbling infrastructure. The quakes are likely to further strain emergency services and deepen humanitarian needs.
International offers of aid have poured in. US President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that Washington was “ready, willing and able” to help, adding that he had instructed government agencies to “move quickly.” He referred to “a devastating number of deaths” in early reports.
El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele said his country had prepared 50 tonnes of equipment and supplies, along with 300 rescuers ready to depart for Caracas. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azin said aid was being arranged for immediate dispatch. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said Brazil would assess how it could assist its “sister nation.”
A tsunami advisory initially issued for the Venezuelan coast and parts of the Caribbean—including the US and British Virgin Islands—has since been canceled. The US Tsunami Warning System confirmed there was no longer any threat.