Venezuelan Jews Describe Terror as Quake Death Toll Soars

Jewish residents of Venezuela told N12 about their panic during the deadly earthquakes that struck the country overnight between Wednesday and Thursday. The quakes hit the northern coast, including the capital, Caracas, collapsed buildings, and left people describing a violent, prolonged shaking that made them fear the roof would cave in. The US Geological Survey estimated the death toll could ultimately range from 10,000 to 100,000.

Alais Farah, who was asleep in his apartment in Caracas when the ground began to move, said, "We felt like we were on a ship in the middle of a storm. The building was shaking and shaking." He said the tremor lasted a long time, briefly stopped, and then resumed. "You see the roof that could fall on you and the walls moving. Things fell," he said. Bnei Mizrahi, another member of the Jewish community, said nearby buildings collapsed, it was hard to move because of loss of balance, and inside homes, pictures, vases and televisions fell and shattered.

Both men said the community had not suffered physical injuries. Mizrahi said, "Everyone in the Jewish community is fine," adding that community members moved to an open area without surrounding buildings. Farah said there was concern about another quake.

The disaster flattened many buildings and covered large parts of Caracas in dust. US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth that there was a "devastating number of deaths" in Venezuela and that the United States was ready to help. Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said the government would declare a state of emergency, that foreign rescue teams were on the way, and that at least 32 people had been confirmed dead and 700 injured.