CARACAS — Venezuelan authorities and rescue teams continued search and rescue operations on Thursday after twin powerful earthquakes struck near the capital the previous evening, causing widespread damage and casualties.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported a magnitude 7.2 earthquake followed less than a minute later by a 7.5-magnitude quake on Wednesday evening. Both struck in the Yaracuy region, west of Caracas, with the stronger tremor among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency. Officials reported at least 164 people killed and more than 1,500 injured, with around 200 people trapped under rubble, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez. Nearly 40,000 were reported missing as of Thursday.
Buildings collapsed in Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira, with damage also reported in other areas including Carabobo and Aragua. Rescue workers were searching through debris in multiple locations, pulling survivors from collapsed structures.
The quakes caused panic in Caracas, with videos showing people fleeing buildings and damage at Simón Bolívar International Airport near the capital, which was closed. Electricity and other services were disrupted in affected regions.
"We ask the population to remain calm and united," Rodríguez said in a statement following the quakes.
International assistance offers have come in, including from the United States. Rescue operations continued into Thursday as aftershocks were reported. The full extent of the damage and casualties was still being assessed.
Venezuela's government has mobilized emergency services, with neighbors and local teams assisting in initial rescue efforts in hardest-hit neighborhoods such as Altamira in Caracas.
The death toll and number of missing could rise as operations proceed in areas with collapsed multi-story buildings. Details on the precise number of structures affected remained under assessment by authorities.
Search and rescue efforts were expected to continue for days amid ongoing aftershocks and logistical challenges in the affected regions.
