Venezuela devastated as death toll rises after double earthquake

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela yesterday evening, causing residential buildings and other structures to collapse in the capital, Caracas. According to reports, at least 32 people were killed and around 700 others were injured in the natural disaster.

The second earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5, is being described as the strongest to hit the South American country in a century.

Videos circulating online show Venezuelan residents running through the streets in panic. Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, declared a state of emergency and said airport, railway and transport services had been suspended.

Rescuers are trying to find people trapped under the rubble.

The earthquake that devastated Caracas

On June 24 this year, at 18:04 local time, two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. The first was a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, with its epicenter recorded 28 kilometers west of the city of Moron on the Caribbean coast and about 168 kilometers from Caracas. The quake occurred at a depth of 22 kilometers. Another powerful earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.5, followed 39 seconds later. The epicenter of the second quake was recorded 16 kilometers from Moron, at a depth of 10 kilometers.

According to Venezuela’s Interior Ministry, a number of buildings in Caracas were destroyed as a result of the earthquakes.

The country’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, declared a state of emergency nationwide. The U.S. Geological Survey forecast that the number of casualties from the natural disaster could reach between 10,000 and 100,000. According to Rodriguez, at least 32 people have died and 700 have been injured. The death toll may rise as rescue operations continue. Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said fire and rescue services and police were using all available resources to deal with the aftermath of the destruction. He expressed condolences to the families of those killed and injured.

It was reported that many residents in Caracas left their buildings because they no longer trusted their structural safety. People were deeply shaken by the sight of household items visible behind collapsed walls in the streets.

Videos showing destruction at Caracas airport and the port of La Guaira on the Caribbean coast circulated on social media. Later, Delcy Rodriguez confirmed that the airport had been closed due to the earthquake. According to her, after the two powerful earthquakes, another 20 aftershocks were recorded. Venezuela’s parliament canceled its plenary session scheduled for June 25.

The full scale of the damage has not yet been assessed, but photos and videos show numerous buildings reduced to rubble.

On Delcy Rodriguez’s instruction, the Caracas metro temporarily suspended operations after the earthquake, and gas supply in the city was also cut off. Internet outages were also reported. In Caracas’s Pinto Salinas district, three people trapped under the rubble after the earthquake died. The city mayor provided information about the victims. According to preliminary data, three more people may still be trapped under the rubble. In another part of the city, rescuers managed to pull two people alive from under a collapsed building.

Videos circulating online also show a man rescuing two dogs from among the destroyed buildings.

U.S. President Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social page that Washington was “ready” to help and added that he had ordered government agencies to “act quickly.”

“The two powerful earthquakes that shook the great people of Venezuela occurred on a massive scale and caused many deaths. The United States is ready, willing and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to be prepared to take swift action,” Trump wrote.

Venezuela’s Latin American neighbors also offered assistance. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele said his country had prepared 50 tons of equipment and essential supplies, as well as 300 rescuers “ready to depart for Caracas.” Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa Azin said measures had been taken to immediately send aid to Venezuela. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also said his country would consider how it could help this “brotherly nation.”

The U.S. Tsunami Warning Center initially issued a tsunami threat warning for Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the islands of Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire near the Venezuelan coast. However, the warning was canceled about an hour later. For reference, Venezuela is located at the junction of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates and is considered a seismically active area.

The economic consequences of the earthquake that devastated Caracas may also be serious. According to estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey, economic losses could amount to between 2% and 20% of the country’s gross domestic product.

This is expected to be an even heavier blow for Venezuela, which is already facing economic hardship and poverty. According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, as of May, nearly 8 million of the country’s 28 million people were in need of humanitarian assistance.

Powerful earthquake also hits Japan

Following the earthquakes in Venezuela, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake was also recorded in northern Japan. No tsunami warning was issued. The quake was initially estimated at magnitude 6.9, but the data was later revised to 7.2.

The earthquake occurred at 07:30 local time near the Pacific coast of Iwate Prefecture, at a depth of 44 kilometers. The strongest tremors were felt in the town of Hashikami in Aomori Prefecture. The quake was also felt in Tokyo. According to the fire and rescue services of Hashikami and Hachinohe, four people, including teenagers and residents in their 50s, were hospitalized with minor injuries.