Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds Wednesday evening, killing at least 164 people, injuring nearly 1,000, and sending residents fleeing into the streets as buildings collapsed in Caracas and coastal communities, officials said.
The U.S. Geological Survey said a magnitude 7.2 quake hit near Yumare, west of Caracas, followed 39 seconds later by a magnitude 7.5 quake in the same area. The agency said that the final death toll would probably reach thousands and could exceed 10,000.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared the Venezuelan province of La Guaira a disaster zone and said rescue crews were searching collapsed buildings for survivors. Authorities reported power outages, school closures, and disruptions at airports and public transit systems as aftershocks rattled the region.
The disaster is a major test for the current government, which has been in the process of reorganizing itself around Rodríguez after the U.S. captured Venezuela’s president, Nicolas Maduro, in a January raid. President Donald Trump announced that American aid would arrive in Venezuela soon, writing on his Truth Social account that “the U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly.”
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