Twin Venezuela earthquakes killed 164 people and injured 971 others.
Powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude tremors devastated La Guaira state.
Rescue operations continue as authorities declare a national emergency.
At least 164 people died and 971 were injured after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, India Today reported. The tremors were among the strongest to strike the country in more than a century.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared the coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, a "disaster zone" following widespread building collapses. The tremors damaged and forced the shutdown of Simon Bolívar International Airport, the country's main airport.
Authorities also suspended metro services in Caracas, shut off natural gas supplies, and cut power to parts of the capital. Rescue teams have begun extracting survivors from the rubble as the government assesses infrastructure damage nationwide. Television footage showed rescue workers using power tools to cut through collapsed buildings and search for survivors.
Devastation in La Guaira
Rescue workers are racing against time. "Dozens of buildings have collapsed there ... and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives," Rodríguez said. State television broadcast footage showing three children, covered in dust but alive, pulled from the rubble in La Guaira, while medical staff treated patients on beds outside hospitals. Rodríguez also appealed to businesses to provide heavy construction equipment for the rescue work, adding that United Nations-certified search and rescue teams were on their way to Venezuela to help.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged residents to remain outdoors to minimise risks from aftershocks. Many remained on the streets for hours, and others spent the night in parked cars, metro stations and other public places. The Education Ministry cancelled classes for several days, designating several school buildings as emergency shelters and donation distribution centres.
Civilians fled swaying buildings across the capital. "It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together," Caracas resident Hector Ricci said. Roberto Gamas, another resident, said his building "shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong."
Seismic Details and Reach
The US Geological Survey said, as reported by India Today, that the first 7.2 magnitude tremor struck west of Moron on the Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometres west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometres. A 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck one minute later, 16 kilometres southwest of Moron at a 10-kilometre depth.
Venezuela sits near fault lines between the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates. Despite this geological positioning, strong earthquakes remain rare in the country compared to other parts of Latin America.
The tremors reached locations 1,700 kilometres away. Buildings were evacuated in the Brazilian Amazon cities of Manaus, Belem, and Macapa, according to TV Globo, while residents reported shaking in Colombia’s Caribbean and north-eastern regions. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued initial tsunami alerts but lifted them shortly after.
Political Response and Aid
Late on Wednesday, Rodríguez declared a state of emergency. She announced a $200 million reconstruction fund to rebuild damaged homes and hospitals, and directed the economy and finance ministers to oversee the work. Rodríguez assumed the acting presidency after a US military operation captured Nicolás Maduro and transported him to the United States to face trial.
