Two powerful earthquakes within just 39 seconds have killed at least 32 people in Venezuela. According to the authorities’ initial findings, around 700 others were injured, said Executive President Delcy Rodríguez that night in the capital Caracas. The state of La Guaira on the Caribbean coast, where the international airport and the country’s most important seaport are located, was hit hardest.
In the region alone, dozens of buildings collapsed and numerous people were buried. The government declared a state of emergency. The United States and other countries offered help or announced the dispatch of rescue teams.
It shook on a holiday
The quakes, which had magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 according to the US Earthquake Observatory USGS, occurred around 6 p.m. local time on a public holiday. Many people were therefore at home or spent the time outdoors. On June 24, Venezuela commemorates the Battle of Carabobo against the Spanish colonial power in 1821. “Intense rescue work is underway to save the lives that God allows us to save,” said the President.
The 32 deaths reported so far are not from La Guaira. She spoke of a tragedy and an earthquake of “unprecedented proportions” in the South American country. The last time there were comparable tremors was in 1900.
Many victims feared
A model calculation by the US earthquake monitoring station suggested that the number of victims would continue to rise. There were initially no official figures on missing people. But lists of names of people wanted by their families have been circulating on websites set up after the quakes and on social media. According to this, around 9,000 people were missing hours after the disaster – but this data cannot be verified.
After the quake, there was a power outage in many places, and the cell phone network also didn’t work at times, residents reported. Train services in the country were suspended and the international airport was closed due to damage. The subway in Caracas also stopped operating. Schools also remained closed. The oil-rich country is experiencing turbulent political times. In January, the US military captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the US. Rodríguez is the executive director.
Two major earthquakes within a minute
According to the USGS, there were only 39 seconds between the two tremors. The first quake occurred on Wednesday at 6:04 p.m. (local time; 12:04 a.m. CEST Thursday), 24 kilometers east of San Felipe in the northwest of the country at a depth of 21.9 kilometers. The second, stronger earthquake occurred a few kilometers further north at a depth of only around ten kilometers. Because of its shallow depth, the impact of the second quake is likely to be greater.
According to USGS data, just over 400,000 people live in the relatively nearby cities of Puerto Cabello and San Felipe alone. There, too, there was talk of buildings collapsing and significant damage. The U.S. Earthquake Observatory’s automatic model calculation, based on the magnitude of the quake and the proximity of some cities, suggested a very high probability of more than 1,000 deaths.
The megacity of Caracas, from which the first images and reports came after the quake, was not particularly close to the epicenter, but around 200 kilometers east of it. Rodríguez said there was some major damage there and in several states in northern Venezuela. There have already been 20 aftershocks. Collapsed houses could be seen in videos and photos in local media.
Trump: Will be there for our new friends
US President Donald Trump assured the country of quick help. He has instructed all US authorities to prepare to help quickly, he wrote on his Truth Social platform. The two earthquakes were of “massive magnitude” and resulted in a “devastating number of deaths,” Trump wrote. He did not provide any information on what information his statement about the number of victims was based on.
“We will be there for our new and great friends,” wrote Trump – probably with a view to the interim government in Caracas. Concerning the likely extent of the consequences, he further stated: “The first reports are not good!!!”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said a short time later that the government was immediately deploying search and rescue teams as well as humanitarian and medical aid. Other countries also immediately promised help.
Photos and videos show the extent of the damage
In the city of Tucacas alone on the Caribbean coast, 15 people are believed to be under the rubble of a collapsed five-story building, the governor of the state of Falcón, Víctor Clark, told the television station VTV. Around 22 injured people were receiving medical care in clinics there.
Videos of damaged buildings and other damage, including at the airport, circulated on social networks. Videos from social networks from the international airport verified by the dpa news agency show the vibrations and falling parts of the ceiling and building. People flee the airport buildings into the open air.
“I’ve never been so scared”
Residents of Caracas reported severe damage and described their impressions. “I have never been so afraid in my life, it was terrible,” a 57-year-old told the German Press Agency. “Two high-rise buildings near us have collapsed, and walls in the neighboring building are missing,” she added. However, their high-rise building was largely spared. In her apartment, furniture had fallen over and pictures had fallen from the walls; everything was full of broken pieces. After the quake, the power went out for hours and the cell phone network also didn’t work.
A resident near the city of Maracay, which is around 100 kilometers from the epicenter, also reported violent tremors. “I was sitting in the car and the car was moving back and forth as if it were a piece of paper,” he told dpa. At least two houses in the area collapsed, including a relatively new one. “I’ve experienced earthquakes before, but nothing like this,” the man added.
Interior Minister: “Extremely alarming situation”
“We are dealing with an extremely alarming situation,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state television. He called on people to stay in safe places. After severe earthquakes, aftershocks are usually expected that could cause already damaged buildings to collapse, the minister warned. To prevent explosions, the authorities ordered the gas supply to be cut off. According to the government, school operations and many non-essential activities should also be suspended for the time being.
Venezuelan Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader María Corina Machado, who is currently not in Venezuela, wrote on Platform
