Thousands of Venezuelans are feared dead after two major earthquakes struck the country less than a minute apart on Wednesday evening.
People felt the ground shake across the north of the country, including the capital Caracas, as the earthquakes struck just outside the northwestern town of Yumare around 6pm locally. The second shock, with 7.5 magnitude, was the largest to hit the country since 1900.
So far 164 people have been confirmed dead so far and more than 971 are injured, according to interim president Delcy Rodríguez, who was sworn in after the US captured the former authoritarian president Nicolás Maduro in January.
The United States Geological Survey warned the final death toll could exceed 10,000, based on modeling and previous earthquakes. More than 10,000 people across the country have been reported missing by their families on a website dedicated to those missing.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency in an address on national television later Wednesday night. “The first message for our people is to stay united to save lives,” she said, asking all doctors, nurses, and health workers to go into their workplaces to attend to the injured. “And then we will address what needs to be done about recovering infrastructure, material recoveries.”
Some Venezuelans spent the night on the streets, fearful of aftershocks. Rodríguez called for citizens with damaged housing to evacuate their homes as buildings collapsed during and after the tremors. The country’s largest airport in Maiquetía was closed due to serious damage.
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio said early Thursday morning that the US government would immediately deploy search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela, after President Donald Trump pledged support in a Truth Social post. “We will be there for our new and great friends,” Trump wrote.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.