Death toll rises to 32 after twin earthquakes hit Venezuela, hundreds injured

CARACAS: Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 700 as dozens of buildings collapsed in and around the capital, Caracas, authorities said.

The first earthquake, measuring 7.2 in magnitude, struck about 160 kilometres west of Caracas and was followed less than a minute later by a stronger 7.5-magnitude tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The USGS warned the eventual death toll could rise into the thousands, with predictive models indicating a significant possibility that fatalities could exceed 10,000 due to the scale of the disaster.

Television footage and videos shared on social media showed rescue workers searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings in Caracas as relatives desperately waited for news of people believed to be trapped beneath the debris.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said at least 32 people had been confirmed dead, but cautioned that the figure did not yet include casualties from the coastal state of La Guaira, one of the worst-hit areas and home to the country’s main international airport, which was closed following the quake.

“Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are carrying out intensive rescue efforts to save as many lives as possible,” Rodriguez said in a televised address early Thursday.

She described the earthquakes as “a true tragedy” and expressed condolences to families who had lost loved ones.

An online platform created to help locate missing people listed more than 6,600 individuals as unaccounted for within hours of the disaster, reflecting the scale of the emergency.

Many Venezuelans were at home when the earthquakes struck during a public holiday.

“There was a very loud crash. Things fell everywhere inside the house. I’ve never experienced anything like it,” Caracas resident Coro Martinez said.

Aftershocks continued through the night, while authorities prepared to receive international rescue teams to assist search operations.

US President Donald Trump said Washington was ready to assist Venezuela following what he described as a disaster that had caused a “devastating number of deaths.”

“The United States is ready, willing and able to help,” Trump wrote on social media.

Several countries, including Brazil, Spain, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic, also offered condolences and assistance.

A tsunami warning issued shortly after the earthquakes was later cancelled after authorities determined there was no longer a threat.

Residents across Caracas fled buildings as the ground shook.

“As soon as it started, we heard people screaming. Everyone was running down the stairs,” said Astrid Ramirez, a resident of western Caracas.

An 80-year-old pensioner, Maria Romero, said police helped evacuate her from her home, describing the earthquake as worse than the deadly 1967 quake that struck the capital.

Another resident said she received an earthquake warning on her mobile phone seconds before the strongest shaking began.

The US Embassy in Caracas urged American citizens to seek safe shelter while monitoring developments.

Hospitals in Caracas called in additional medical staff to cope with the large number of injured patients, while authorities cancelled classes for the remainder of the week to assess damage.

Officials said Venezuela’s oil infrastructure appeared largely unaffected. Civil protection authorities reported no injuries in the western oil-producing region around Lake Maracaibo, while workers at the El Palito refinery near the epicentre said no significant damage had been reported.

British energy company Shell said all of its employees in Venezuela were safe and accounted for.

However, industry sources warned prolonged power outages could affect crude oil production until electricity supplies are fully restored.

Venezuela is located along the boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, making it prone to earthquakes.

One of the country’s deadliest earthquakes occurred in 1812, when an estimated 30,000 people were killed after widespread destruction in Caracas and Merida.