High casualties are feared after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela's northern coast within less than a minute on Wednesday, collapsing buildings, damaging infrastructure and prompting the government to declare a state of emergency.
The US Geological Survey (USGS) issued rare red alerts following the successive quakes, warning that "high casualties and extensive damage are probable" and that the disaster was likely to be widespread. The agency's preliminary assessment suggested the eventual death toll could range from 10,000 to 100,000 people, although authorities have yet to release official casualty figures.
The strongest quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5, struck about 28 kilometres northwest of Montalbán, an area close to some of Venezuela's largest oil refineries. It came just 40 seconds after a powerful 7.2-magnitude foreshock rattled the region, amplifying the destruction and panic.
Although authorities have yet to release a national toll for deaths and injuries, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that fatalities had occurred. Speaking in a national address on Wednesday night, she announced a state of emergency across affected regions and said rescue and relief operations were underway.
Local officials and witnesses reported collapsed buildings, trapped residents and growing numbers of injured people in several cities. The capital Caracas was among the hardest-hit areas, with buildings suffering significant damage and residents rushing into the streets as the ground shook.
Videos from across the country showed scenes of chaos as terrified residents evacuated homes and offices with family members and pets before gathering in open areas. Footage from the coastal town of Catia La Mar showed multiple buildings collapsed on a hillside, while other videos revealed extensive structural damage to roads and infrastructure.
Emergency responders and security forces were deployed nationwide as authorities worked to assess the full scale of the disaster. Communication difficulties and disrupted transport links complicated initial rescue efforts in some areas.
The USGS issued separate red alerts through its PAGER system for both earthquakes, warning that past disasters triggering such alerts have often resulted in severe loss of life and widespread economic damage.
Meanwhile, the US Tsunami Warning Centers cancelled an earlier tsunami advisory issued for parts of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, saying there was no longer any tsunami threat from the earthquakes.
The twin tremors are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in recent years, raising concerns about the resilience of infrastructure and the potential for further aftershocks as rescue operations continue.
