Twin Venezuela earthquakes have killed at least 32 people and injured more than 700, with rescue teams searching damaged buildings as officials warn the toll could rise.
CARACAS: The Venezuela earthquakes claimed at least 32 lives and left more than 700 people injured after two powerful earthquakes struck the country on Wednesday. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said emergency teams were continuing rescue operations, warning that the number of casualties was expected to increase as workers searched collapsed buildings and reached isolated communities.
The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, were among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century. The capital, Caracas, suffered extensive damage, while the coastal state of La Guaira was reported to be the worst affected. Authorities described the region as a disaster zone as rescue crews worked around the clock to locate survivors trapped beneath debris.
The powerful tremors also caused significant disruption to transport and essential services. Simón Bolívar International Airport, the country’s main gateway near Caracas, was damaged and forced to suspend operations. Metro services and natural gas supplies across the capital were also halted while engineers assessed the safety of critical infrastructure.
The government declared a nationwide state of emergency shortly after the earthquakes and suspended school classes for several days. Around 20 aftershocks followed the initial quakes, prompting fresh evacuations and increasing fears of further structural collapses. Emergency officials urged residents to remain vigilant and follow safety instructions while rescue operations continued.
The Venezuela earthquakes were felt far beyond the country’s borders, with reports of shaking reaching Brazil’s Amazon region, nearly 1,700 kilometres from Caracas. Several residential and commercial buildings collapsed, leaving many families displaced and in urgent need of assistance. Emergency shelters were opened for affected residents as humanitarian efforts intensified. Authorities said search and recovery operations would continue until every affected area had been fully assessed. The Venezuela earthquakes are expected to rank among the country’s most destructive natural disasters in recent history, with officials continuing to monitor aftershocks and assess the full scale of the devastation.
