A pair of severe earthquakes struck near the Venezuelan capital of Caracas on Wednesday evening, resulting in at least 32 fatalities and approximately 700 injuries. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has officially declared a state of emergency following the tremors, which arrived during a national holiday.
The first earthquake, recorded at magnitude 7.2, hit the Yaracuy state at a depth of 22km. Less than a minute later, a second, more powerful tremor of magnitude 7.5 occurred at a 10km depth. While the epicentres were located outside the capital, the city experienced violent shaking that caused several buildings to collapse. The tremors were reported as far away as Bogotá, Colombia.
Emergency teams are currently searching for survivors trapped in the debris. Local officials confirmed multiple collapses, including two buildings in the Chacao municipality. To facilitate recovery operations, the government has suspended transportation services, closed Maiquetía international airport, and paused school operations. The US Geological Survey noted that the local building materials, such as adobe and brick, left the region particularly vulnerable to structural failure.
International aid offers have been extended by several nations, including the United States, Brazil, Ecuador, and El Salvador. President Donald Trump pledged readiness to assist, while regional leaders expressed solidarity with Venezuela. Although authorities initially issued tsunami warnings for the Caribbean, those alerts have since been rescinded.
