USGS: At Least Thousands Dead in Major Earthquake Near Caracas

At least thousands of people were killed early Thursday in powerful earthquakes that struck Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, according to an initial assessment by the US Geological Survey, which said the death toll could still rise into the tens of thousands. The quake sequence, among the strongest in Venezuela’s history, measured 7.1 on the Richter scale in the source report and caused several buildings to collapse, with estimated economic losses of billions of dollars, possibly tens of billions.

Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, declared a state of emergency after two strong quakes caused widespread damage in Caracas and nearby areas. In a televised address Wednesday night, she urged residents to stay calm and united and told them to evacuate damaged buildings. She also sent condolences to those who lost relatives, though she did not give a casualty total.

Video from the airport showed panicked passengers running out of the terminal as it shook. Rodríguez said the airport was closed after suffering severe damage, and that metro and rail services were suspended. Social media footage also showed panic in the corridors of Miquetía airport as people sought shelter from falling debris.

The USGS said the country was hit by two earthquakes, a main shock of magnitude 7.5 and a foreshock of 7.2 that came 39 seconds earlier. The epicenter was west of the coastal community of Morón, about 168 kilometers west of Caracas, and the quake was 13 kilometers deep.