Powerful earthquakes strike Venezuela, killing at least 164 and devastating Caracas
At least 164 people were killed after 7.2 and 7.5 quakes ripped through Venezuela’s coast, prompting a U.S. rescue deployment to Caracas.
Two powerful earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck off Venezuela’s northern coast, west of Caracas, about 39 seconds apart, killing at least 164 people and injuring 971. Severe damage hit Caracas and La Guaira, and crews searched collapsed buildings for survivors.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency as rescue workers pushed through rubble in the capital and along the coast. The U.S. Geological Survey issued red PAGER alerts for both quakes, warning that high loss of life and extensive damage were probable and that the disaster was widespread. The tremors briefly triggered a tsunami advisory. Coastal communities were already coping with broken infrastructure and disrupted communications.
Marco Rubio said the United States was immediately deploying search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles, along with medical resources and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela. Rubio said finding people trapped in collapsed buildings was the immediate priority and that the airport was badly damaged. The damaged airfield slowed the flow of rescue crews, medical supplies and other support as the operation expanded.
International assistance began arriving early Thursday, with United Nations agencies deploying aid, support and rescue teams. The hardest-hit areas included La Guaira and Caracas, where residents searched through debris as emergency crews moved toward the northern areas most affected by the shock waves. Damage was concentrated around the capital and the coastal corridor, with collapsed structures and overloaded hospitals.
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