Venezuela declares emergency after twin quakes kill at least 32
Authorities say more than 700 people were injured after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck near Moron, west of Caracas.
By Daniel Okafor · Business Editor
2 min read
Venezuela declared a state of emergency after two powerful earthquakes killed at least 32 people, injured more than 700 and damaged buildings in Caracas and coastal areas, authorities said. The disaster has disrupted transport, left residents sleeping outdoors and raised fears of further casualties as rescue teams search collapsed structures.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced the emergency late Wednesday after the quakes struck within a minute of each other near Moron, a coastal town about 170km west of Caracas. Authorities put the magnitudes at 7.2 and 7.5.
Rodriguez warned early Thursday that the number of dead was expected to increase as crews worked through rubble and tried to reach remote communities. She said La Guaira state had become a disaster zone.
The tremors brought down buildings in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, and forced residents into the streets, according to authorities and photo agencies AFP and AP. Rescuers were seen carrying a person on a stretcher from a collapsed building, while firefighters also pulled a dog from debris in the city.
Venezuelan authorities said the country’s main airport was shut after the earthquakes. Officials urged people to remain calm but stay out of vulnerable buildings because aftershocks could cause additional collapses in already weakened structures across several states.
Families spent the night outside damaged homes, AP reported, with some areas lacking power or phone service. Images from Caracas showed neighbors helping a man leave a damaged home and survivors gathering in open streets after the twin shocks.
The United States Geological Survey said there could be a high number of casualties and extensive damage. Rodriguez said emergency teams were still trying to assess the scale of destruction in hard-hit coastal communities.
Survivors described the violent shaking as coming in two jolts, according to AP. Some said the floor moved like waves, while others compared the stronger second quake to a freight train passing beneath them.
The earthquakes rank among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century, according to the reports. Major seismic disasters are less common in Venezuela than in some other parts of Latin America, though aftershocks continued to unsettle residents after Wednesday’s main events.
Emergency services remained under strain as rescue operations continued and officials warned that the damage assessment was incomplete. Authorities have not given a final casualty figure, and Rodriguez said the toll was likely to rise as teams reached more affected areas.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.