Caracas: Rescue workers in Venezuela are racing against time to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings after two powerful earthquakes devastated the country’s northern coast, with the confirmed death toll climbing to 188 and more than 1,500 people injured. Authorities fear the number of casualties could rise further as search operations continue.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck just 39 seconds apart, making them one of the strongest seismic events to hit Venezuela in more than a century. The hardest-hit region was La Guaira, north of Caracas, where dozens of residential and commercial buildings collapsed, trapping hundreds of people under the rubble.
Emergency responders, military personnel and volunteers have been using heavy machinery, sniffer dogs and specialized equipment to search for survivors. Families have gathered near collapsed structures, anxiously awaiting news of missing relatives as rescue efforts continue despite the risk of aftershocks.
The earthquakes also caused widespread damage across Caracas and several northern states, disrupting electricity, communications and transportation. Schools have been closed and converted into temporary shelters, while hospitals have struggled to cope with the large number of injured people arriving for treatment. Authorities have declared the worst-affected areas disaster zones and launched emergency relief operations.
International assistance has begun arriving, with several countries pledging financial aid, search-and-rescue teams and medical supplies to support Venezuela’s recovery efforts. Humanitarian organizations are also mobilizing relief materials, including food, clean water and emergency shelter for thousands of displaced residents.
Seismologists described the disaster as a rare “earthquake doublet”, in which two major earthquakes occur within seconds of each other along the same fault system. Experts warned that aftershocks could continue for days, posing additional risks to damaged buildings and rescue personnel.
Officials have urged residents to avoid unsafe structures, follow evacuation advisories and cooperate with emergency services as recovery operations continue. With hundreds still believed to be trapped or missing, rescue teams say the next few days will be critical in the search for survivors.
