Two powerful earthquakes striking within less than a minute have killed at least 164 people in Venezuela and left just under 1,000 injured, acting President Delcy Rodríguez told the VTV broadcaster on Thursday.
According to data from the US Geological Survey (USGS), two quakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 occurred on Wednesday at around 6:04 pm (2204 GMT), just 39 seconds apart, about 170 kilometres west of the capital Caracas.
Rodríguez said the Caribbean coastal state of La Guaira was the worst-affected region.
La Guaira, home to Venezuela’s main international airport and principal seaport, reported widespread destruction, with dozens of buildings collapsing, and many people feared trapped under rubble.
The government has declared a state of emergency. Germany, the United States and other countries offered assistance and announced the deployment of rescue teams.
Rodríguez said the disaster had caused damage across several northern states and warned the toll could still rise significantly.
A model calculation by the USGS showed a very high likelihood of more than 1,000 deaths. These figures could not be independently verified.
It also said the 7.5-magnitude earthquake was the strongest to hit the South American country since 1900.
"Like something out of a horror film"
Venezuelans have described panic, destruction and desperate escapes.
"I've never been so scared in my life; it was terrifying," a 57-year-old woman told dpa from the eastern part of Caracas.
"Two high-rise blocks collapsed near us, and the neighbouring building is missing walls," she said.
Rescue operations continued overnight and into the morning under difficult conditions.
Reports from the scene described exhausted emergency crews and volunteers working without heavy equipment, often using only their hands and shovels to clear debris.
“Many civil defence workers told us they are working with their bare hands, even their fingernails,” RTVE correspondent Carolina Alcalde reported from Caracas. “Equipment is arriving gradually, but it is not enough.”
Footage from affected areas showed residents searching through rubble, while survivors described hearing cries for help during the night.
“It was like something out of a horror film,” one resident told RTVE.
The quakes struck on a public holiday marking Venezuela’s commemoration of the 1821 Battle of Carabobo.
Widespread infrastructure damage
Power and water supplies were disrupted in many areas, while mobile networks and internet services were temporarily down.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello spoke on state television of an "extremely alarming situation" and urged people to stay in safe places.
He said that aftershocks were to be expected, which could cause already damaged buildings to collapse. To prevent explosions, the authorities had ordered the gas supply to be cut off.
Opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado expressed solidarity with victims, writing on X that her "heart, endless embrace and prayers" were with Venezuelan families during what she called hours of distress.
Rail services were suspended nationwide, the international airport closed due to damage, and the Caracas metro halted operations. Schools were also shut.
The disaster comes at a time of political upheaval in the oil-rich South American country. In January, former president Nicolás Maduro was captured by the US military and taken to the United States. Since then, Rodríguez has served as acting head of state.
