Caracas: Two powerful earthquakes struck off Venezuela’s Caribbean coast on Wednesday evening, triggering widespread damage, forcing evacuations, and sending thousands of people rushing into the streets in panic. The back-to-back earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck shortly after 6 pm, making them among the strongest to hit the country in more than a century.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that several states had reported damage, although the government has not yet released official figures on casualties or the overall extent of the destruction. She said Simón Bolívar International Airport sustained significant damage and would remain closed until further notice. Emergency response teams, including doctors and nurses, were deployed across affected areas to assist hospitals and rescue operations.
In Falcon state, Governor Víctor Clark said at least 32 people had been hospitalised, while rescue workers continued searching for 15 people believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The first earthquake struck near the coastal town of Morón, followed minutes later by a stronger tremor. The shallow depth of both quakes intensified the shaking, causing severe damage in populated areas.
In the capital, Caracas, buildings swayed violently, parts of several structures collapsed, and dust clouds rose over commercial districts as businesses and restaurants were evacuated. Residents remained outdoors long after sunset, fearing aftershocks, while power outages and disruptions to mobile networks added to the chaos. Tremors were also felt in neighbouring Colombia and as far as Brazil’s Amazon region, nearly 1,700 kilometres from the epicentre. Authorities confirmed there was no tsunami threat, and precautionary alerts issued in parts of the Caribbean were later withdrawn.
