Twin earthquakes kill 164 in Venezuela, rescuers search rubble

Rescue crews searched collapsed buildings across Caracas and La Guaira on Thursday after back-to-back earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela 39 seconds apart, killing at least 164 people and injuring 971. Delcy Rodríguez, the acting president, declared a state of emergency as people remained trapped under rubble.

The quake sequence hit Wednesday evening, June 24, and was strong enough to topple dozens of buildings in the capital and in the coastal state of La Guaira. Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas was damaged, flights were canceled, and subway and natural gas service were disrupted. The shocks were felt across northern Venezuela and as far away as Brazil’s Amazon.

More than 100 aftershocks followed as rescue teams worked through unstable debris and broken infrastructure. In neighborhoods including Catia la Mar, Montalbán, Altamira and Palos Grandes, power outages and cracked walls left residents searching for missing relatives. Diosdado Cabello said emergency crews were racing to reach people still believed to be inside collapsed structures.

The U.S. Geological Survey warned early that high casualties and extensive damage were probable. Marco Rubio said the United States had already deployed search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles and was providing overhead imagery support to aid the response. Specialist rescue teams were on the way from the United Nations, and Turkey offered condolences and assistance. The U.S. Embassy in Caracas was closely monitoring the aftermath and urged American citizens to avoid damaged areas and buildings.

Initial government figures put the toll at 32 dead and 700 injured before the count climbed sharply by Thursday morning.