Two catastrophic earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds of each other on Wednesday evening, killing at least 164 people, injuring nearly a thousand more, and triggering a nationwide state of emergency.
The first quake, a magnitude 7.2, hit at 6:04 p.m. local time near San Felipe. Less than a minute later, a stronger 7.5 mainshock struck near Yumare, at a depth of just six miles.
The shallow rupture dramatically increased the destruction. Tremors were felt as far as Brazil’s Amazon, over a thousand miles away.
La Guaira, on Venezuela’s northern coast, suffered the worst damage and has been declared a disaster zone.
In Caracas, a 22-storey building was completely destroyed in the Altamira neighbourhood.
Rescue teams worked through the night pulling survivors from rubble across multiple districts. “When we went downstairs, the scene was like a horror movie,” said Maria Alejandra, who escaped a collapsed building. “I only saw that one family got out.”
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez shut the main airport, suspended train services, cancelled schools for several days, and cut gas supply across Caracas to prevent explosions.
Thousands slept outdoors, fearing further collapses.
The U.S. Geological Survey issued a red alert, estimating a 44 percent chance the death toll could exceed 10,000 and a 30 percent chance it surpasses 100,000.
Economic losses are projected between 10 and 100 billion dollars. France, Germany, Spain, the United States, Qatar, Mexico, and El Salvador have all dispatched rescue teams or offered military assets.
The disaster hits a country already in crisis.
Venezuela has been under an interim government since U.S. forces captured former President Nicolás Maduro in January.
The USGS warns there remains a 94 percent chance of at least one magnitude-5 aftershock within the week. Rescue operations continue. The full death toll is not yet known.
Administrator and Writer
