A powerful earthquake disaster has struck Venezuela, leaving hundreds of people trapped beneath collapsed structures and many others missing after two major tremors hit areas in and around the capital Caracas.
The first earthquake, measured at magnitude 7.2, struck around 160 kilometres west of Caracas on Wednesday evening. It was followed less than a minute later by a stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake, described as the most powerful tremor recorded in the region since 1900.
The disaster caused widespread damage to buildings, destroyed homes, and forced thousands of residents to leave their properties. The impact was made worse by Venezuela’s existing economic difficulties, which have weakened infrastructure and created additional challenges for emergency response teams.
Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said that medical centres had received around 235 bodies by Thursday night, though a final casualty figure was not provided.
Earlier, Jorge Rodriguez, head of Venezuela’s National Assembly and brother of interim President Delcy Rodriguez, said approximately 200 people were believed to be trapped and around 250 buildings had suffered damage or complete destruction.
Several important facilities were also affected, including at least eight hospitals, the Venezuelan Red Cross headquarters, and the French embassy.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the earthquake impact was particularly severe in La Guaira state, where around 70,000 families were reported to have been affected.
Rescue teams continued efforts to search damaged areas as aftershocks shook Caracas and nearby coastal regions. Authorities remained focused on locating missing people, assisting displaced families, and responding to the widespread destruction caused by the powerful earthquakes.
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