Caracas: Venezuela is battling one of the worst natural disasters in its history after two powerful earthquakes struck the country’s northern coast within 40 seconds of each other, leaving a trail of destruction that has claimed at least 235 lives, injured more than 4,300 people, and trapped countless others beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings.
The twin quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, rocked the Caribbean coastline on Wednesday evening, causing catastrophic damage across the coastal state of La Guaira and parts of the capital, Caracas. Rescue workers are racing against time as the crucial first 72 hours—considered the “golden window” for saving lives—slip away.
The worst devastation has been reported in the coastal cities of La Guaira, Catia La Mar and Caraballeda, where high-rise apartment blocks, hotels and commercial buildings were reduced to piles of concrete and twisted steel. Families are desperately searching for missing loved ones, with several entire households feared buried beneath the debris.
Declaring La Guaira a disaster zone, Acting President Delcy RodrÃguez described the tragedy as “unprecedented” and appealed for international assistance and heavy machinery to accelerate rescue operations.
“Our only priority is to save every life possible,” RodrÃguez said, adding that emergency crews continue to work around the clock despite repeated aftershocks.
The destruction also extended to Caracas, where multiple buildings collapsed in the Altamira and Los Palos Grandes neighbourhoods, forcing hundreds of residents to evacuate.
The United States has announced immediate assistance, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirming that the Pentagon will support rescue operations after the Simón BolÃvar International Airport suffered severe structural damage. Rubio stressed that the next three days are critical for locating survivors trapped under collapsed structures.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has mobilised emergency teams and humanitarian aid, reporting that more than 100 buildings collapsed in La Guaira alone, including residential towers and beachfront hotels. Children, elderly residents and entire families remain missing.
The powerful tremors were felt more than 1,600 kilometres away in Manaus, Brazil, highlighting the extraordinary strength of the seismic event.
As aftershocks continue to rattle northern Venezuela, countries including Brazil, France, Spain, Portugal, Mexico, Canada and Qatar have pledged rescue teams, medical assistance and humanitarian aid. French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed the deployment of specialised rescue personnel, while Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people during what he called a moment of immense national tragedy.
US President Donald Trump also pledged America’s full support, directing federal agencies to expedite relief efforts. The US Treasury has temporarily eased certain sanctions to facilitate humanitarian assistance and emergency transactions.
Aerial images from the disaster zone reveal entire coastal neighbourhoods lying in ruins, with collapsed apartment blocks, shattered hotels and rescue teams combing through mountains of debris in search of survivors. As hopes of finding more people alive begin to fade, emergency workers continue their relentless mission, determined to rescue as many lives as possible from one of Venezuela’s darkest days.
