The photographs and videos that arrived from Venezuela in the hours following the double earthquake on Wednesday depict a country shaken to its core: buildings with their facades stripped away, debris spilling out onto the streets, downed power poles, and rescue teams working among the remnants of what were once homes and businesses.
The two earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck the country just 39 seconds apart, on Wednesday at 18:04 local time, with epicenters in the state of Yaracuy.
The second earthquake is the strongest recorded in Venezuela since 1900, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Both hypocenters were shallow—13 and 10 kilometers deep—which amplified their destructive capacity on infrastructure already weakened by years of economic crisis.
The images shared by international media outlets such as Noticias Telemundo and the Reuters agency document multi-story residential buildings with their internal structures exposed, concrete slabs stacked at impossible angles, deep cracks in the asphalt, and neighbors wandering among the rubble with their belongings in hand.
The state of La Guaira is experiencing the worst damage. The area of Catia La Mar and the Los Corales sector reported massive collapses, and the acting president Delcy Rodríguez declared the region a "natural disaster zone due to the number of buildings that collapsed."
"The state of La Guaira is a true tragedy. There are dozens of collapsed buildings, and we are currently engaged in very arduous rescue efforts to save the lives that God allows us to save," he stated.
In Caracas, the neighborhoods of Los Palos Grandes and Altamira also experienced significant collapses. Among the buildings that collapsed are the 14-story Petunia residence and a Bancaribe branch in Altamira. More than 90 structures were affected in the state of Miranda alone.
The official balance updated this Thursday totals 164 deceased and 971 injured, with at least 30 aftershocks recorded. Rodríguez declared a state of constitutional emergency, suspended classes, and ordered the cutoff of gas supply as a preventive measure. Maiquetía International Airport, the Caracas Metro, and the Valles del Tuy Railway remain closed due to structural damage.
The USGS issued a Red Alert —its highest level— and its impact estimation system calculated a 42% probability that the final number of fatalities could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people. These are automatic probabilistic projections based on magnitude, depth, and population density, not actual counts.
Journalist Patricia Janiot succinctly captured what many international observers expressed in response to the images: "Venezuela, these images leave all of us amazed at the magnitude of the earthquake. We cannot fight against nature, but in times of emergency, solidarity and support from the system are needed. I don't know how the dictatorship will respond. I hope they support the victims."
In a striking diplomatic turn, Rodríguez publicly thanked President Donald Trump and his administration for the support provided.
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the immediate dispatch of search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance. Support was also confirmed from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Qatar, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. Cuba, a historical ally of the Venezuelan regime, was not among the countries that offered assistance.
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