Caracas, Venezuela – On Wednesday evening, Venezuela experienced two strong earthquakes that caused widespread panic and damage. The tremors registered magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, affecting areas as distant as the Amazon region in Brazil, approximately 1,050 miles away. People in various cities evacuated buildings, fearing structural collapse.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez addressed the nation late Wednesday. She confirmed damage in multiple states but did not release detailed figures regarding the impact on homes and buildings or report any injuries or fatalities. The earthquakes led to the severe impairment of the Simón Bolívar International Airport, resulting in its temporary closure. School classes were suspended for several days.
Rodríguez urged the populace to stay calm and united. She requested all healthcare professionals to assist in hospitals. The Ministry of Education announced that certain schools would transform into shelters and donation centers.
In Falcon, a coastal state, Governor Víctor Clark reported 32 individuals hospitalized, with 15 people still trapped as of four hours after the quake.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially recorded the first earthquake at a magnitude of 7.1 but adjusted it to 7.2, pinpointing the epicenter west of Morón, near the Caribbean coast, approximately 104 miles west of Caracas. The earthquake occurred at a depth of about 14 miles. A minute later, a larger magnitude 7.5 quake struck, with a depth of six miles and an epicenter 10 miles southwest of Morón.
These seismic events are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century, occurring shortly after 6 p.m. In Caracas, people evacuated buildings in panic. Streets were filled with debris, and there were reports of collapsed walls exposing furniture. Dust columns were visible in parts of the capital where restaurants and businesses were usually bustling.
‘We all had to leave our houses’
Residents were on the streets for hours, even after sunset. Electricity and cellphone signals were disrupted. Hector Ricci, a Caracas local, described the earthquake starting gently, then intensifying, forcing residents to gather outdoors.
A state of emergency was declared by Rodríguez. Subway and natural gas services were suspended in Caracas. She encouraged citizens to report damage using a government app.
Cellphone signal loss intensified distress among families, especially affecting those among the 7.7 million people who left Venezuela during its prolonged political crisis.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, in exile, expressed wishes of strength for Venezuelans via social media.
Impact felt throughout Venezuela
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello noted that the earthquake’s impact extended across several states, notably in the Altamira neighborhood of Caracas, where serious structural collapses occurred. He advised motorists to give way to emergency vehicles.
Cabello also advised people to stay outdoors due to potential aftershocks, cautioning about the safety of children and the elderly.
Roberto Gamas, another resident, described the intense shaking of buildings during the quake and praised the fact that people safely evacuated.
A global response
Social media quickly saw reactions and offers of assistance from multiple governments, including the United States, Chile, and El Salvador.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau extended support, indicating communication with Venezuelan authorities and mobilization of assistance.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele offered help despite previous political adversities with Venezuela’s government. Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa pledged rapid humanitarian aid, emphasizing the importance of human-centered leadership.
Earthquakes affect the region
Regions in Brazil, including Manaus, Belem, and Macapá, saw building evacuations. The earthquake’s effects extended to Colombia’s Caribbean and northeastern areas without reports of damage. The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center quickly lifted issued alerts.
Venezuela’s position near fault lines makes earthquakes rare compared to other Latin American regions, like the Pacific Ring of Fire countries such as Mexico and Chile.
Data provided by Garcia Cano and Arraez for the Associated Press, with contributions from Clara Preve, Astrid Suarez, Mauricio Savarese, and Anna-Catherine Brigada.