At least 32 people have died following two powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela, according to preliminary reports. The Operative Information Center-OMM reported that the figures were confirmed by Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who noted that approximately 700 people have been injured in the disaster.
Gustavo Duque, the mayor of the Chacao municipality in the capital, Caracas, stated that rescue teams have successfully pulled 18 individuals alive from the rubble of collapsed structures.
The seismic event began late Thursday, Baku time, when a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hit northern Venezuela. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) subsequently reported two additional tremors measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the magnitude scale, occurring at 40-second intervals. In response to the widespread destruction, the Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, speaking on the "Venezolana de Television" channel, confirmed that the tremors were felt across the states of Aragua, Carabobo, Miranda, Trujillo, and Yaracuy, as well as in La Guaira and Caracas. "I regret to report that the 7.0 magnitude earthquake caused significant damage and casualties in these regions due to its intensity," Cabello stated.
In the seismically active Altamira and Palos Grandes districts of Caracas, several residential buildings collapsed, resulting in confirmed fatalities. Rescue services, including firefighters, police units, and civil defense volunteers, are currently clearing debris and providing emergency assistance to the affected population. Authorities have urged citizens to evacuate damaged buildings and facilitate the movement of emergency vehicles.
The initial 7.1 magnitude tremor was recorded by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre on Wednesday at 18:04 local time (02:04 Thursday, Baku time). The epicenter was located approximately 60 kilometers northwest of Valencia, a city in the Carabobo state with a population of 1.62 million, at a depth of 13 kilometers.
Venezuela, located in a seismically active region of South America, frequently experiences tectonic activity due to the interaction of the Caribbean and South American plates. This event highlights the ongoing vulnerability of the nation's infrastructure to high-magnitude seismic events, prompting renewed calls for stricter building codes and disaster preparedness protocols.
