Buildings collapse after deadly earthquake in Venezuela

Interim President Delsey Rodriguez said at least 32 people were killed in a series of earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday.

He said more than 700 others were injured.

He said, “Dozens of buildings have collapsed and we are engaged in the difficult task of saving the lives that God allows us to save. The state of La Guaira is facing a true tragedy and has become a disaster area.”

Rodriguez said he did not yet have data from La Guaira, located near the capital.

The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes were among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

Latin American countries offered help to Venezuela after two major earthquakes hit the country on Wednesday.

El Salvador President Nayib Bukele posted on Twitter that “300 rescue workers and paramedics, along with 50 tons of equipment, medicines and essential supplies, are ready to depart for Caracas.”

Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said he had spoken to Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodríguez to offer his “deepest solidarity”.

“Special teams from our armed forces for search, rescue and emergency care will leave for Venezuela on Thursday morning,” Abinader said.

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also posted on Twitter, saying he had instructed the Brazilian Embassy in Caracas to assess the situation in Venezuela and assist.

Many other countries also expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people.

US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States is ready to provide assistance to the South American nation of Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes.

“The two massive earthquakes that have just struck the great people of Venezuela have been massive in scale and have resulted in a devastating number of deaths,” Trump posted on his Truth social platform.

“The United States is ready, willing, and able to help! I have directed all agencies of our government to be ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!!”

Venezuela has not released the number of casualties or the extent of the destruction.

The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck central Venezuela on Wednesday was a precursor to a second, more powerful earthquake just 39 seconds later, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Foreshocks are earthquakes that occur before larger earthquakes in the same location. However, according to the USGS, an earthquake cannot be identified until a larger earthquake occurs in the same area.

A series of powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela on Wednesday, causing widespread damage in the capital Caracas.

According to the USGS, the second earthquake was the main shock of a severe seismic double sequence.

The USGS said a seismic doublet is defined as two earthquakes of similar magnitude that occur in close proximity and timing.

In September 2025, the country experienced a seismic double whammy when earthquakes of magnitude 6.2 and 6.3 shook western and northern Venezuela.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announced that the US is in contact with Venezuelan authorities following two major earthquakes in the South American country.

“The United States stands with the people of Venezuela after this evening’s devastating earthquake,” Landau wrote on Twitter.

He said Washington is mobilizing aid for Venezuela.

Jeremy Levin, US Under Secretary of State for Foreign Assistance, said the US has already deployed a disaster assistance team and is coordinating critical assistance for those affected by the earthquake.

“The United States will send search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies, and other resources in the critical first days after this tragic natural disaster,” he wrote on Twitter.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency after a massive earthquake destroyed buildings in Caracas.

Flanked by her brother Jorge, who heads the National Assembly, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Rodriguez said she was offering her condolences to the families of those who “sadly lost a family member.”

He did not give figures of the number of deaths or the injured.

Rodriguez said rescue efforts were now the top priority, adding that school classes would be suspended and train services halted.

Simon Bolivar Airport in Maquetia, near Caracas, was closed due to damage, he said.

The United States Embassy in Caracas said it was “closely monitoring” the situation after two powerful earthquakes struck central Venezuela on Wednesday.

The US Embassy in a post on Twitter urged US citizens to “avoid damaged areas and not enter damaged buildings” and “take safe shelter”.

The embassy also asked people to monitor both the US State Department website and local media websites.

Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 destroyed buildings in Caracas and drove people into the streets.

As soon as the earthquake struck, the US Tsunami Warning System issued a tsunami warning for Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands.

It said dangerous waves could also affect Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire.

However, the warning was withdrawn after about an hour.

“This earthquake was terrible, worse than the one in 1967,” Maria Romero, an 80-year-old pensioner from southern Caracas, told Reuters after two earthquakes struck the center of the country on Wednesday.

In 1967, a devastating magnitude 6.3 earthquake struck Caracas, injuring more than 1,500 and killing 225 to 300.

There were even deadlier earthquakes in Venezuela in the 19th century. According to the USGS, an estimated 30,000 people were killed in 1812 when a powerful earthquake caused widespread destruction in Mérida and Caracas.

Venezuela is located in an area of ​​seismic activity where the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate meet.

Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez said she would soon address the nation.

Rodriguez said in a post on X that she would report on the situation after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that hit the country on Wednesday.

According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake is one of the strongest seismic events globally so far this year.

Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello described the situation in the country after the earthquake as “extremely worrying”. He said some buildings had collapsed and residents were urged to take shelter.

Cabello urged people to stay outside, warning that aftershocks were likely and could cause additional structural damage to already weakened buildings. Authorities also ordered the gas supply to be shut off as a precaution to prevent explosions.

“We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are working according to protocol to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said on state television. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one is hurt.”

He also suggested that people be injured in the earthquake and asked motorists to give way to ambulances and other emergency vehicles.

Buildings collapsed due to strong earthquakes in Caracas.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) said, “High casualties and widespread damage are likely, and the disaster is likely to be widespread.”

The USGS said, based on data from the types of structures common in the area, there is a 44% chance the death toll will exceed 10,000.

Venezuelan officials did not immediately provide estimates of deaths or injuries.

On state television, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that some buildings in Caracas had collapsed and houses had collapsed.

A 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, shaking buildings and homes in the capital Caracas.

The quake’s epicenter was about 17 miles (28 kilometers) west of the community of Moron, located on the country’s Caribbean coast, about 104 miles south of Caracas, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The depth of the earthquake was 13 kilometers.

Just 39 seconds after the first earthquake, a second, even larger, 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck the same area.

The second earthquake occurred at a depth of 10 kilometers.

Come along.