Powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, collapsing buildings, damaging the country’s main airport and sending panicked residents into the streets while acting President Delcy Rodríguez urged calm, unity and reporting through a government app. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes hit as ordinary people were left to navigate wrecked streets, lost power, broken cellphone service and trapped neighbors, while officials spoke in the language of protocols, emergency declarations and controlled response.
Who Pays When the Ground Moves
In Caracas, residents were forced out of swaying buildings as walls collapsed and furniture became visible from the street. Dust columns rose in two neighborhoods where restaurants and other businesses are usually busy. People stayed outside for hours, even after sunset, some sitting on the ground hugging their pets as debris piled up around them. Collapsed buildings, toppled electric poles and blocked streets made the capital harder to move through, while parts of the city lost power and cellphone signal.
Caracas resident Hector Ricci described the moment the quake hit: “It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together.” Another Caracas resident, Roberto Gamas, said, “The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” and, “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out.”
The U.S. Geological Survey said the first earthquake was initially measured at magnitude 7.1 before being revised to 7.2. It said the epicenter was west of Morón, along the country’s Caribbean coast, about 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometers (13.6 miles). The USGS reported a second, larger 7.5-magnitude earthquake just a minute later, with a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles) and an epicenter 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón.
What the Authorities Said
In a brief address to the nation late Wednesday, Rodríguez said the earthquakes caused damages in several states, but she did not give figures on homes and buildings affected or on injuries or fatalities. She said the country’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport, was damaged severely enough to be closed, and added that classes were being canceled for several days. Rodríguez said, “We urge our population to remain calm,” and, “We urge unity.” She also asked all health care professionals in the country to report to hospitals to assist anyone who was injured.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and said subway and natural gas services in Caracas were canceled. She also urged Venezuelans to report any damages through a government app. The Ministry of Education late Wednesday said some schools would be used as shelters and donation centers.
In the coastal state of Falcon, Gov. Víctor Clark said 32 people had been hospitalized and more than four hours after the earthquake there were still 15 people trapped. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the quake could be felt in several states. He said the Altamira neighborhood in Caracas had “alarming situations” with collapsed homes and buildings, suggesting people were injured and asking motorists to give way to ambulances and other emergency vehicles. Cabello said, “We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most.” He also said, “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.” He urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could further damage some structures.
Aid, Solidarity and the Limits of the System
The lack of cellphone signal in parts of Venezuela deepened the distress of many families, particularly those among the more than 7.7 million people who have left the country during its protracted crisis. Reaction poured in swiftly on social media, with offers of help from various governments including the United States, Chile and El Salvador.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on X, “The US stands with the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of this evening’s devastating earthquakes,” and, “We’re in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance.” El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said he had offered aid Wednesday night on a post on X. Bukele wrote, “We send you all our solidarity and our prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela.” Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people and said he had ordered the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid to help respond to the emergency. Noboa wrote, “Ecuador will respond with the speed and commitment this moment demands because, despite our enormous differences, humanity must always guide the actions of a leader.”
Venezuela opposition leader María Corina Machado, in exile after leaving Venezuela in December, took to X to send prayers and wish strength to Venezuelans. She said on X, “May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time.”
Buildings in Manaus, Belem and Macapá in Brazil’s Amazon were evacuated, according to reports on TV Globo. The quakes also were felt in Colombia’s Caribbean and northeast regions, but there were no reports of damages or injuries. The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued several tsunami alerts in the wake of the earthquakes that were quickly lifted.
Strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela. While Venezuela sits near multiple fault lines, its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates make earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America. Along the Pacific coast — in Mexico and Chile, for example — earthquakes are frequent. Those two countries sit along the seismically active tectonic belt known as the Ring of Fire, which is responsible for 90% of earthquakes, according to the USGS.