Twin Earthquakes Strike Venezuela, Killing At Least 164 and Injuring Hundreds

Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes on Wednesday evening, hitting within roughly a minute of each other and causing widespread devastation across the country's northern regions. According to the US Geological Survey, the first quake measured magnitude 7.2 and was centered about 160 kilometers west of the capital, Caracas. Less than a minute later, a second, stronger tremor of magnitude 7.5 struck — described by multiple sources as the most powerful earthquake to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

Numerous buildings collapsed in and around Caracas and in several other northern provinces. Rescue workers and residents searched through the rubble in the dark, hoping to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency the same night. Authorities initially reported 32 deaths and around 700 injuries, figures that would quickly prove to be only preliminary.

Over the following days, the official casualty count rose sharply. On Thursday, Rodríguez announced that the death toll had climbed to at least 164, with 971 people injured. She warned that the numbers were likely to keep rising as search and rescue efforts continued, with many people still believed to be trapped beneath the wreckage of destroyed buildings.

Following the two main quakes, authorities recorded roughly 30 aftershocks, complicating rescue operations and adding to public fear. Power outages affected large parts of the country, hampering communication and the coordination of relief efforts. Tsunami warnings were briefly issued for Venezuela's Caribbean coastline before later being lifted.

Eyewitness accounts from Caracas described a critical situation on the ground. A journalist reporting from the capital noted collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure that severely hindered emergency response. Images from affected communities showed destroyed homes and streets, with residents attempting to dig out trapped neighbors using whatever tools were available.

The international response came swiftly. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was immediately deploying rescue teams to assist. Russia, China and India also pledged support. Russian President Vladimir Putin offered condolences to the Venezuelan people and expressed solidarity. Other countries and international organizations announced they would provide humanitarian aid and specialized personnel.

Experts noted that the wider Caribbean region is inherently prone to strong seismic activity, but that Venezuela's building codes are comparatively weaker than those in earthquake-prone countries such as Japan. This disparity, they said, contributed significantly to the scale of destruction, as many structures were unable to withstand the force of the tremors. These structural vulnerabilities are also expected to complicate reconstruction efforts in the months ahead.

As rescue operations continued, key questions remained unresolved: how many people remain trapped beneath the rubble, what the final death toll will ultimately be, and how effectively international aid can be delivered to affected areas. Given the severity of the damage and the continuing aftershocks, observers expect the humanitarian situation in the hardest-hit regions to potentially worsen further before any stabilization takes hold.