Twin Powerful Earthquakes Rock Venezuela, Causing Widespread Panic and Destruction in Caracas

Venezuela: Two massive earthquakes struck Venezuela in rapid succession on Wednesday evening, unleashing chaos across the country and sending residents of the capital fleeing into the streets amid collapsing buildings and flickering power supplies.

A 7.2-magnitude foreshock hit first near San Felipe in Yaracuy state around 6:04 p.m. local time, followed just 39 seconds later by a powerful 7.5-magnitude mainshock centered near Yumare, also in Yaracuy. The quakes, which were felt as far as neighboring Colombia, caused significant structural damage, particularly in Caracas, where multi-story buildings were reported to have crumbled.

Witnesses described scenes of terror as the ground shook violently. “It was truly horrible, terrifying,” one resident told reporters. Another, a bank employee in central Caracas, recounted walls cracking, stairs coming away, and objects falling from ceilings. Rescue teams were quickly deployed to search through rubble for survivors, with images showing emergency workers at collapsed sites.

Venezuelan authorities, led by acting President Delcy Rodriguez, have declared a state of emergency. At least 20 aftershocks have been recorded, and officials report dozens of deaths along with hundreds of injuries, though the final toll is expected to rise as assessments continue. Power outages and infrastructure damage have compounded the crisis in affected regions.

This event marks one of the strongest seismic events to hit Venezuela in recent history, prompting urgent calls for international aid and highlighting the vulnerability of the country’s aging infrastructure. Officials are urging residents to remain vigilant for further aftershocks.