Rescue teams across Venezuela worked through the night on Thursday as they searched for hundreds of people believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings after two powerful earthquakes struck near Caracas. Officials said hospitals had received around 235 bodies, while thousands of families were forced from their homes. The two quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit less than a minute apart, causing widespread destruction in the capital and nearby coastal communities.
La Guaira, home to the country’s main airport, suffered some of the worst damage. Authorities said about 70,000 families in the state had been affected, while at least 250 buildings were damaged or destroyed. Emergency crews, volunteers, and local residents searched through piles of concrete as aftershocks continued. In many neighborhoods, people used their hands to clear debris while waiting for heavy equipment to arrive. The airport remained closed because of structural damage.
Many survivors described scenes of panic as buildings shook and people rushed into the streets. Others spent the night outdoors after their homes became unsafe. Some families were still waiting for news of missing relatives, while a public website created by opposition groups listed more than 46,000 people as unaccounted for, although those figures have not been independently verified.
Countries around the world have offered assistance, with rescue teams expected to arrive in the coming days. The United States eased sanctions to allow earthquake-related aid, while the United Nations began coordinating international relief efforts. Experts warned that the death toll could continue to climb as search operations move deeper into the hardest-hit areas.
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