Twin Earthquakes Strike Venezuela, Killing 32 and Injuring Around 700

CARACAS — A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck Venezuela on Tuesday, less than a minute after a first tremor of magnitude 7.2, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 700, as search-and-rescue teams worked through the night to reach survivors trapped under collapsed buildings.

The U.S. Geological Survey placed both epicenters roughly 160 kilometers west of Caracas. The tremors were felt across the capital and at least five states — Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, Falcón and La Guaira.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed both tolls Wednesday, declared a national state of emergency and said rescue operations were continuing. She thanked countries that had offered assistance and said official figures were expected to rise as teams reached more affected areas.

La Guaira recorded the heaviest structural damage. Apartment complexes and residential buildings collapsed there, and crews used heavy machinery and sniffer dogs to search through rubble overnight. Roads blocked by debris slowed emergency vehicles across multiple zones.

Thousands of residents spent the night outdoors, unwilling to return to buildings as more than 20 aftershocks continued through Wednesday morning. Authorities warned the public to stay away from any structure that had sustained damage.

Simón Bolívar International Airport — Venezuela's main international terminal — sustained damage and disrupted flight operations. Public transport was also affected across impacted areas. Hospitals came under immediate strain as medical teams treated hundreds of the injured. Schools in the worst-hit states were closed Wednesday, and emergency shelters were opened for displaced families.

The USGS issued a high-level disaster alert and said predictive modelling indicated heavy casualties were possible, with the final death toll potentially well above current official figures. The agency described those projections as scientific estimates based on population exposure and building conditions, not a confirmed count.

An opposition-linked website listed more than 7,000 people as unaccounted for by Wednesday. Reuters said the figure could not be independently verified and differed substantially from official statements.

A tsunami warning was issued shortly after Tuesday's earthquakes and later cancelled after further assessment found no coastal threat.

Nine countries offered assistance — the United States, Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, El Salvador, Spain, Pakistan, China and Italy — pledging search-and-rescue teams, medical supplies and humanitarian equipment. Washington activated a Disaster Assistance Response Team and deployed personnel, medical aid and supplies. President Donald Trump expressed condolences and pledged support.

Venezuela lies on the tectonic boundary between the Caribbean Plate and the South American Plate, a zone with a documented history of destructive earthquakes. Events of this magnitude occur less frequently there than along the Pacific Ring of Fire.