Two major earthquakes struck central Venezuela on Wednesday, according to the United States Geological Survey. Residents reported strong shaking that rattled buildings and knocked out power across several areas, including the capital, Caracas.
Casualty figures were not immediately available. Social‑media images depicted heavily damaged structures, with smoke and dust rising from the wreckage, while residents of Caracas gathered in the streets to assess the damage, which included collapsed buildings.
The initial 7.2‑magnitude quake was followed less than a minute later by a 7.5‑magnitude tremor, as reported by U.S. monitoring agencies. The epicenter lay near San Felipe, a city of roughly 220,000 inhabitants in Yaracuy state, west of Caracas. The shaking began just after 6 p.m. local time.
Seismologists cautioned that the magnitudes could be adjusted as further data are analyzed.
Many structures in the region are built from unreinforced brick or adobe, making them particularly susceptible to seismic shaking, although more resistant construction does exist, according to the USGS.
Footage circulated online showed passengers fleeing for safety inside Maiquetía International Airport near Caracas, while other clips captured rescue crews searching through rubble in the capital for survivors.
Although the quakes originated on land, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center briefly issued tsunami advisories for the Venezuelan coast and the nearby islands of Bonaire, Curaçao and Aruba.
Venezuela’s government announced on state television that a strong earthquake had been felt in Caracas and several other regions, but said the full scope of the damage remained unclear.
Venezuelan officials did not promptly reply to requests for additional information, and representatives of the U.S. Embassy in Caracas also declined to comment immediately.
Reporting contributed by Amy Graff, Isayen Herrera and Tibisay Romero.
