Search and rescue teams worked through the night in Venezuela on Friday as the death toll from two powerful earthquakes rose to at least 235, with more than 4,300 people reported injured. The twin tremors — measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude — struck just seconds apart late Thursday, sending shockwaves through the capital Caracas and surrounding regions.
Twin Quakes Strike Seconds Apart
The earthquakes, both classified as shallow by seismologists, hit within approximately one minute of each other, amplifying the destruction across densely populated areas. Shallow earthquakes are particularly damaging because they release energy closer to the earth’s surface, allowing seismic waves to reach communities with greater intensity before dissipating.
Witnesses described scenes of panic as buildings swayed violently and infrastructure crumbled. Footage captured at Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas showed ceiling tiles collapsing and crowds of travellers fleeing onto the tarmac. In the city’s outskirts, at least one residential building collapsed entirely, with rescue workers using heavy machinery and their bare hands to sift through the debris in search of survivors.
Caracas Bears the Brunt of the Damage
Authorities confirmed that Caracas and its surrounding metropolitan area experienced some of the worst structural damage. Roads cracked, water mains burst, and power outages left thousands of households without electricity overnight. Emergency services were stretched to capacity as hospitals reported a surge in patients with crush injuries, fractures, and trauma.
Venezuela’s civil protection agency deployed additional rescue teams and requested international humanitarian assistance. Several neighbouring countries, including Colombia and Brazil, announced their readiness to send emergency personnel and medical supplies.
A Nation Already Under Strain
The disaster arrives at a particularly difficult moment for Venezuela. The country has spent years grappling with a severe economic crisis marked by hyperinflation, food shortages, and the mass exodus of millions of citizens. Political instability has further weakened public institutions and emergency preparedness infrastructure.
The earthquakes come less than six months after a dramatic geopolitical development in which former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro was seized by United States forces, leaving the country in heightened political uncertainty. The interim government now faces the dual challenge of managing the transition while coordinating a large-scale disaster response.
International Community Responds
Global leaders expressed condolences and pledged support. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs activated its emergency protocols and said it was in contact with Venezuelan authorities to assess needs on the ground. The Red Cross also mobilised its teams within the country.
As dawn broke on Friday, rescue workers continued their painstaking work amid the rubble, listening for sounds of life beneath collapsed walls. Officials warned that the death toll was likely to climb as teams reached more remote and heavily damaged areas.
