Caracas: Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within minutes of each other on Wednesday evening, causing building collapses in the capital, Caracas,
and prompting tsunami alerts across parts of the Caribbean.
Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez has said that 32 people have been killed and around 700 injured following a series of earthquakes, with officials warning that the death toll may rise further, according to AP.
Venezuela earthquake today
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake measured 7.1 in magnitude and struck near the coastal community of Morón, around 168 kilometres west of Caracas. The quake occurred at a depth of 13 kilometres.
Just one minute later, a second and even stronger earthquake measuring 7.5 struck approximately 16 kilometres southwest of Morón. The second tremor was recorded at a depth of 10 kilometres.
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The back-to-back earthquakes are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century and were felt across several regions of the country.
“High casualties and widespread damage are likely, with the disaster expected to be extensive,” the USGS said, initially estimating that the death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000.
In Caracas, residents rushed out of swaying buildings as walls collapsed and dust clouds rose from affected neighbourhoods. Witnesses reported significant structural damage, with furniture visible through shattered building facades.
Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said several states felt the impact of the quakes. He described the situation in Caracas’s Altamira district as “alarming”, with reports of collapsed homes and buildings.
He also advised residents to remain outdoors due to the risk of aftershocks and urged them to check on vulnerable family members.
“We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said on state television. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”
Tsunami alerts issued
The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued a tsunami alert for the Virgin Islands, while authorities in the Dominican Republic also released a warning. A separate alert issued for Puerto Rico was later lifted.
Describing the terrifying experience, Caracas resident Roberto Damas said, “The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong.”
He added, “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out.”
