Venezuela earthquakes: At least 32 dead, 700 injured and dozens of buildings collapse, according to interim president – latest updates | Venezuela

At least 32 killed and 700 injured in earthquakes – Rodriguez

Venezuela’s interim president said the twin earthquakes killed at least 32 people and injured 700 others.

Delcy Rodriguez also said that rescuers from other countries will arrive in Venezuela in the coming hours.

She thanked Donald Trump for his offer to help the country in the wake of the earthquakes.

Rodriguez earlier declared a state of emergency after successive earthquakes led to the collapse of buildings in the capital and prompted the closure of Venezuela’s main airport.

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Updated at 00.57 EST

Main events

The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes occurred shortly after 6 p.m. local time. According to the USGS, the first quake struck west of Moron on the country’s Caribbean coast about 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas, while the second struck just a minute later about 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Moron.

Map showing the locations of earthquakes in Venezuela

Updated at 03.07 EST

It’s almost 3 a.m. in Venezuela, where rescue efforts continue after two powerful earthquakes hit the country in quick succession. Here are some of the latest photos from news agencies in the capital, Caracas, and in La Guaira, the area most affected by the earthquakes.

A person walks through the rubble of a destroyed building after an earthquake in La Guaira, Venezuela. Photograph: Maxwell Briceno/Reuters People gather outside a damaged building in Catia la Mar, La Guaira state, following the earthquake. Photograph: Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images People walk through rubble in Caracas. Photography: Ariana Cubillos/APP People sleep outside their homes in the wake of the earthquake that struck Caracas. Photography: Pedro Mattei/AP

More photos can be found here:

Post summary

If you’re just joining us, here are some of the latest updates, as rescuers continue to search for survivors after two successive earthquakes hit Venezuela.

People stand under rubble near a damaged building in Catia la Mar, La Guaira state, 30 kilometers northwest of Caracas. Photograph: Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images

At least 32 people were killed and 700 others injured following the two earthquakes that rocked northern Venezuela around 6 p.m. Wednesday local time.

A 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck an area 160 kilometers west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey.

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, declared a state of emergency after the earthquakes led to the collapse of buildings and led to the closure of the main airport.

Donald Trump pledged support for Venezuela, including aid and personnel, adding that there had been a “devastating number of deaths.”

Rescuers from other countries will arrive in Venezuela in the coming hours.

Photos and videos show flattened buildings, houses and hotels, dust and debris scattered on the streets of Caracas and surrounding areas.

Eyewitnesses described the horror of walls cracking and shaking around them, and watching people eating in the streets while screaming.

Rescuers have been working through the night to try to find people who may still be trapped, and many residents have reported that they are too afraid to return to their homes due to the possibility of large aftershocks.

Read the full report here:

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on X that the US is “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian aid to Venezuela.”

Double quote, our hearts go out to all those who lost loved ones, those injured, and the brave rescuers working tirelessly in the aftermath.

Double quote, America stands with the Venezuelan people during this difficult time.”

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Updated at 02.20 EST

Strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela.

Although it lies near multiple fault lines, its location straddling the South American and Caribbean plates makes earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America, the AP reported.

Along the Pacific coast – in Mexico and Chile, for example – earthquakes are frequent; The two countries lie along a seismically active tectonic belt known as the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is responsible for 90% of earthquakes, according to the US Geological Survey.

The two earthquakes that struck today were felt in Colombia, which borders western Venezuela.

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Exiled Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado has sent a message of support to her compatriots.

“My heart, endless embrace and prayers are with every Venezuelan home in these hours of pain,” she wrote on the X website. “May strength, serenity and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time.”

The lack of mobile phone signal in parts of Venezuela has exacerbated the plight of many families, especially among the more than 7.7 million people who have left the country during its protracted crisis.

Share At least 32 dead and 700 injured in earthquakes – Rodriguez

Venezuela’s interim president said the twin earthquakes killed at least 32 people and injured 700 others.

Delcy Rodriguez also said that rescuers from other countries will arrive in Venezuela in the coming hours.

She thanked Donald Trump for his offer to help the country in the wake of the earthquakes.

Rodriguez earlier declared a state of emergency after successive earthquakes led to the collapse of buildings in the capital and prompted the closure of Venezuela’s main airport.

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Updated at 00.57 EST

Venezuela’s oil infrastructure did not appear to be immediately affected by the earthquake, Reuters reported.

Almost none of the cities with official reports of serious damage involved vital oil infrastructure, and local authorities near the large oil hub of Lake Maracaibo said no casualties had been reported.

Energy companies operating in the country were counting employees before conducting initial assessments of the condition of oil fields, factories and refineries, as the British company Shell confirmed that its employees were safe.

One source told Reuters that a prolonged power outage may affect crude production levels until service is restored.

Oil rigs on Lake Maracaibo in a file shot. Photograph: Federico Parra/AFP/Getty Images Share

Updated at 00.45 EST

Initial reports of casualties

Reuters reported that at least four people in and around Caracas died following the quakes.

The district mayor said on social media that three people died in the Barota district of Caracas after two buildings collapsed.

Gustavo Duque, mayor of the Chacao district in Caracas, told reporters that one person was killed and four buildings completely collapsed. 22 people were taken to hospital.

Earlier, Victor Clarke, governor of the coastal state of Falcon, said that 22 people were injured and 15 adults were missing in the area.

No national statistics of deaths or infections have yet been reported.

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Offers of aid and support are pouring into Venezuela.

El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele, who has a tense relationship with Venezuelan leaders, said he had offered to help, in a letter to X.

“We send you all our solidarity and prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela,” he wrote.

Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said he had ordered the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to help respond to the emergency.

“Ecuador will respond with the speed and commitment this moment demands, because despite the enormous differences between us, humanity must always guide a leader’s actions,” Noboa wrote.

The United States previously said it would deploy a disaster response team to the region, including aid, resources, and search and rescue personnel.

ShareTrump says ‘devastating number of deaths’ in Venezuela

US President Donald Trump said initial reports from Venezuela were “not good” and that the two earthquakes “resulted in a devastating number of deaths” in a post on the website Truth Social.

Double quote mark The two major earthquakes that have just struck the great people of Venezuela were massive in scale and left a devastating toll in deaths.

Trump added that the United States is ready, willing and able to help Venezuela.

Double quote We will be there for our new and great friends.

There have been no official reports yet on the number of casualties in Venezuela, and Trump has not mentioned any numbers.

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Venezuela has been hit by more than 20 aftershocks since the first major quakes struck around 6 p.m. Wednesday local time, AFP reported, citing interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

Residents reported that they felt so stressed that they could not return to their homes, for fear of the possibility of more tremors.

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Eyewitnesses caught up in the earthquakes described their horror as buildings cracked and shook around them and people ran screaming through the streets.

Outside a shopping mall in Caracas, people were shocked.

“The stairs came out, and the whole wall cracked. Things fell from the ceiling. It was terrible,” Odalis Escalona, ​​a 54-year-old bank employee, told AFP.

“We waited for him to pass and then we ran down the escalator,” said Xenia Gonzalez, 52, who was comforting a crying teenager. She added: “We had to wait because the earthquake was shaking so hard. It lasted for a long time.”

Panicked screams were heard as people fled the building.

Nearby, La Castellana resident Maria Romero hastily fled her apartment.

“It was moving a lot and it sounded like a deep roar,” the 48-year-old engineer said.

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