Venezuela Earthquakes: At Least 32 Dead, 700 Injured as Twin Tremors Collapse Buildings in Caracas

Caracas, Venezuela – At least 32 people are dead and another 700 injured following twin earthquakes that rocked northern Venezuela around 6pm local time on Wednesday, collapsing buildings across the capital and prompting the closure of the country's main airport as rescue workers search for survivors through the night.

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160km (100 miles) west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey. The back-to-back quakes caused widespread devastation across northern Venezuela, with the worst-affected areas including Caracas, Miranda, La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo, and Falcón.

Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency after the earthquakes collapsed buildings and led to the closure of the main airport. The tremors were felt as far away as Colombia, which borders Venezuela to the west.

'A Devastating Number of Deaths'

US President Donald Trump has pledged support to Venezuela, including aid and personnel, adding there were "a devastating number of deaths." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X that the US is "immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela."

"Our hearts are with all those who have lost loved ones, those injured, and the courageous rescue workers working tirelessly in the aftermath. America stands with the Venezuelan people during this difficult time," Rubio said.

Venezuela's Interim President Delcy Rodríguez thanked Trump for his offer to help the country in the wake of the quakes. She also confirmed that rescuers from other countries were arriving in Venezuela over the coming hours.

Rescue Efforts Underway

Images and videos show flattened buildings, homes, hotels and dust and debris lining the streets of Caracas and nearby regions. Eyewitnesses described the terror of walls cracking and shaking around them, and watching people flood into the streets screaming.

Rescuers have been working through the night to try to find people who may still be trapped, and many residents have reported feeling too scared to return home due to the possibility of big aftershocks.

The lack of a mobile phone signal in parts of Venezuela has deepened the distress of many families, particularly among the more than 7.7 million people who have left the country during its protracted crisis.

Venezuela's Exiled Opposition Responds

Venezuela's exiled opposition leader, María Corina Machado, has sent a message of support to her compatriots.

"My heart, my infinite embrace, and my prayers are with every Venezuelan home in these hours of anguish," she wrote on X. "May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time."

Oil Infrastructure Spared

Venezuela's oil infrastructure did not immediately appear to be affected by the quakes, Reuters reports. Almost none of the cities with official reports of severe damage include critical oil infrastructure, and local authorities near the large oil hub of Lake Maracaibo said no injuries had been reported.

Energy companies operating in the country were accounting for staff before making initial assessments on the condition of oilfields, plants and refineries, with UK firm Shell confirming its employees were safe.

One source told Reuters that extended loss of power could hit crude output levels until the service is restored.

Why Earthquakes Are Unusual in Venezuela

Strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela. While it sits near multiple fault lines, its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates makes earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America, AP reports.

Along the Pacific coast – in Mexico and Chile, for example – earthquakes are frequent; the two countries sit along the seismically active tectonic belt known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, responsible for 90% of earthquakes, according to the USGS.

The two earthquakes that hit Wednesday were felt in Colombia, which borders the west of Venezuela.

What's Next

As rescue operations continue, the full scale of the disaster is still emerging. The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers reach areas that remain inaccessible. International aid is beginning to arrive, with the US deploying search and rescue teams and medical resources.

For a country already devastated by years of economic and political crisis, the earthquakes represent a humanitarian catastrophe of devastating proportions. The 7.7 million Venezuelans who have fled the country in recent years now watch from abroad as their homeland suffers another tragedy.