CARACAS — Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, outlined emergency measures on Wednesday after powerful back-to-back earthquakes and multiple aftershocks struck the country, causing widespread damage, collapsing buildings and prompting the government to declare a national state of emergency.
Rodríguez announced the measures during a televised address alongside National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. She said emergency protocols had been activated nationwide following the earthquakes, which damaged infrastructure in Caracas and other regions and forced the closure of Simón Bolívar International Airport near the capital.
“We are at this moment declaring a state of emergency, as contemplated by our Constitution,” Rodríguez said, according to remarks broadcast on state television. She also said public and private healthcare networks had been mobilized, particularly in the areas most affected by the disaster.
The interim president extended condolences to families of those killed but initially did not provide casualty figures. Authorities said search-and-rescue operations were continuing as emergency crews worked to reach damaged areas and assess the extent of destruction. Buildings collapsed in Caracas and elsewhere, while aftershocks continued to affect parts of the country, according to government officials and the U.S. Geological Survey.
By Thursday, Rodríguez said at least 32 people had died and more than 700 had been injured, while warning that the toll could rise as rescuers searched collapsed structures and reached harder-hit communities. She described the coastal state of La Guaira as among the areas most severely affected.
Government officials said emergency services, medical personnel and civil protection teams had been deployed. Authorities also moved to assess damage to transportation infrastructure, public buildings and utilities. Details regarding the full scale of property losses remained unclear.
International assistance efforts began to take shape on Thursday. The United States said it was mobilizing aid, including search-and-rescue support, medical assistance and humanitarian supplies, while maintaining communication with Venezuelan authorities. Other countries in the region also signaled a willingness to provide assistance, according to official statements and media reports.
The earthquakes, measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at magnitudes of approximately 7.2 and 7.5, struck within about a minute of each other west of Caracas. Officials said dozens of aftershocks followed, complicating rescue operations and raising concerns about the stability of damaged buildings.
As of Friday, emergency measures remained in effect. Search-and-rescue teams continued operations in affected regions, airports and infrastructure were being assessed for damage, and authorities said casualty and damage figures could change as more information becomes available.
