Powerful Quakes Rock Venezuela, Leaving Widespread Damage and Many Missing

A pair of strong earthquakes hit Venezuela and caused major destruction in Caracas and nearby areas. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first tremor measured 7.2, and 39 seconds later the main quake struck at magnitude 7.5. The epicenter was about 168 kilometers west of the capital, at a depth of 13 kilometers, and the shaking was also felt in neighboring Colombia.

Venezuelan interim leader Delcy Rodríguez declared a national emergency and urged residents to leave damaged buildings. She said, “We ask the population to remain calm and united,” and added condolences to families who lost relatives. The main international airport, Miquetía, was closed because of severe damage, and train and subway service were completely halted.

Heavy destruction and scenes of panic were reported across Caracas, especially in Altamira, Los Palos Grandes and San Bernardino, where several apartment buildings collapsed. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the event appeared to be “significantly above 7” and warned that aftershocks could bring down buildings already weakened by the main quake. Witnesses described many people trapped under rubble, while teacher Olqui Barro, 56, said, “It was terrible,” and added that the walls felt as if they were about to fall on them.

Residents also reported family members trapped inside collapsed structures. In San Bernardino, people could be heard shouting that there were many injured inside. In Baruta, civil defense teams used stretchers to evacuate victims after a landslide caused by the quake, and Mayor Darwin González asked people to stay calm. Opposition leader María Corina Machado sent support, writing that her heart, hugs and prayers were with Venezuelan families. Severe damage was also reported in the coastal city of La Guaira, where a large beachfront hotel was nearly destroyed, and in Catia La Mar, where the Venezuelan Naval Academy and several high-rise residential buildings were badly damaged. The U.S. Embassy in Caracas warned Americans to avoid damaged areas, stay out of unsafe buildings and find shelter immediately. Authorities were still assessing the destruction, but early estimates said thousands were missing.