At least 164 people have been killed after powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck the Venezuelan capital of Caracas and the state of La Guaira, acting President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed, according to BBC News. The United Nations reported that more than 100 buildings have collapsed across the affected regions due to the violent tremors. The two earthquakes, measuring magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 respectively, hit just one minute apart from each other. Seismologists noted that the second tremor represents the strongest earthquake to strike Venezuela since 1900. Thousands of panicked residents fled into the streets as the ground shook violently, fearing immediate aftershocks.
The US Geological Survey warned that the total death toll could eventually reach thousands as full assessments are completed in the hardest-hit municipal districts. Search and rescue teams are currently working through the night to clear heavy debris and locate survivors trapped under the wreckage of collapsed residential structures. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that US-based search and rescue teams are being actively deployed to assist local emergency workers. He added that the incoming aid flights will be handled directly by the Department of Defense due to extensive structural damage at Caracas` primary international airport. However, the Pentagon stated that they have no specific information to provide regarding the operational timeline at this moment.
The commitment of emergency assistance follows a recent upswing in diplomatic relations between Washington and Caracas after the US capture of Nicolas Maduro in early January. President Donald Trump and other high-ranking administration officials have vowed to provide comprehensive humanitarian aid to the South American nation during this unprecedented crisis. Trump has repeatedly signaled his willingness to work closely with interim president Delcy Rodriguez, frequently lavishing praise on her administrative leadership. Meanwhile, former president Nicolas Maduro is currently being held in a federal detention facility in New York while awaiting trial. In a statement released on the social media platform X by members of his team, Maduro called for maximum solidarity and urgent action.
What remains unclear is the exact number of casualties and the true scale of infrastructural damage in remote, isolated areas where communication networks have completely failed. One resident in Caracas described the horrifying experience, stating that it felt like the world was moving for a long time and the two back-to-back tremors felt like one massive long earthquake. Representatives of Venezuela-focused organizations in South Florida, which comprises the heart of the country`s diaspora in the United States, confirmed they are working to ramp up community assistance but currently lack further logistical details. Power outages and broken communication lines continue to complicate the rescue operations as citizens pray for survivors.
