Thousands feared dead after two major earthquakes strike Venezuela

Thousands of Venezuelans were feared dead on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and around the capital Caracas, trapping people beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings and setting off powerful aftershocks.

At least 32 people were confirmed dead and 700 injured after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey.

Emergency workers scrambled over the debris of a collapsed building in Caracas as night fell, while distraught relatives sought help for loved ones feared trapped. Several dazed survivors were taken away, some on stretchers.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said the initial casualty figures do not include those from worst-affected La Guaira state, near Caracas and home to the city's airport, which had been closed.

"Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives," she said in an appearance on state television just before 1 am local time (0500 GMT) on Thursday.

The US Geological Survey, using predictive modeling to estimate the death toll, said it would most likely run into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000.

A website set up to track missing people and posted on X by leaders from the country's opposition, many of whom are outside the country, listed more than 6,600 people as unaccounted for soon after 2 am local time (0600 GMT).

Many Venezuelans were at home when the quakes struck during the afternoon on a public holiday.

TRUMP OFFERS HELP AFTER 'DEVASTATING NUMBER OF DEATHS'

Aftershocks continued to rattle the capital into the early hours of Thursday.

Rodriguez said the country was focused on rescue efforts, including the arrival in the coming hours of rescue crews from other countries, as she thanked leaders including US President Donald Trump.

Trump said in a post on social media the US was ready, willing and able to help in the disaster.

"The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths," said Trump, who ordered the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in a violent raid in January.

The UN's Venezuela human rights mission urged the government to lift local restrictions on social media, saying it was a "matter of life and death". In some areas, access had already become available.

RESIDENTS RUSH INTO THE STREETS

Wilmer Azuaje, a former Venezuelan lawmaker, captured the moment the quake hit Maiquetia Airport, sending masonry and clouds of dust falling.

"Everyone, the situation we're experiencing here is serious. A high-magnitude earthquake. Look at how everything ended up," he said while videoing the scene.

A tsunami warning was issued but swiftly cancelled after the danger passed.

Residents across Caracas, which was also hit by a deadly magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 1967, rushed to evacuate as buildings shook.

Leaders from countries including El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Brazil and Spain offered support and sympathy. The US State Department said it was in touch with Venezuelan authorities and mobilizing assistance.

Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate.

An estimated 30,000 people were killed when a powerful quake caused widespread destruction in the cities of Merida and Caracas in 1812, according to the USGS.

HOSPITALS BRACE FOR THE INJURED

At Caracas' Hospital de Clinicas, staff were asked to double up on the night shift to help treat the injured, a worker there said. Classes were canceled for the rest of the week as authorities began to take stock of the damage.

The Venezuelan Red Cross said its headquarters had been critically damaged but that it had sent rescue teams to the worst-affected areas, warning of the risks posed by strong aftershocks. France said its embassy had been badly damaged.

Venezuela's oil infrastructure did not immediately appear to be affected. Civil protection authorities in Maracaibo, near the large oil hub of Lake Maracaibo, said there were no injuries reported. A worker at the El Palito refinery near Morón — the earthquake's epicenter — said there had been no damage there.

UK oil firm Shell, which is evaluating developing gas fields in Venezuela, said all its employees were accounted for with no injuries.

One source said an extended loss of power could hit crude output levels. Venezuela's oil ministry, state-run oil company PDVSA and its main foreign partner, Chevron, did not immediately reply to requests for comment.