Dozens killed, hundreds injured as 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes hit Venezuela; death toll expected to rise past thousands

At least 32 people were killed and over 700 others injured after two massive earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter Scale hit Venezuela.

The quakes jolted the country’s Caribbean coastline late Wednesday evening, causing widespread devastation and prompting the government to declare an immediate state of emergency as rescue teams struggled through the wreckage.

The two tremors flattened dozens of buildings and forced the total closure of Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas due to severe infrastructure damage.

The impact was felt as far away as neighbouring Colombia, marking one of the most significant seismic events to hit the region in recent years.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez addressed a shocked nation early Thursday morning, confirming that the death toll has already reached at least 32 people. She cautioned that these numbers are likely to rise as reports continue to filter in from the hardest-hit area, the state of La Guaira.

“At this time, we have reports of 32 fatalities, without yet counting on the figures that the State of La Guaira may provide and more,” Rodríguez stated.

She added that at least 700 people had been rushed to emergency rooms across a mix of public hospitals and private health centres.

Describing the situation in La Guaira as a “true tragedy”, Rodríguez admitted that rescue teams were currently facing “arduous” conditions on the ground. She also offered her condolences to grieving families and confirmed that international help was already on the way.

While the United States Geological Survey’s (USGS) initial estimates say that the death toll can range from a whopping 10,000 to 100,000 casualties, the scale of the disaster has unified opposing political factions in a rare moment of consensus.

Opposition figure Edmundo González described scenes of chaos and structural ruin across the city. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged citizens to remain on high alert, warning that more than 20 aftershocks have already rattled the area, further threatening unstable structures.