Venezuela earthquakes leave hundreds dead as rescue teams search collapsed buildings

Venezuela has declared a state of emergency after two powerful earthquakes struck the country, causing severe damage around Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira. The earthquakes hit shortly after 6 pm local time on Wednesday, with reported magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. The second event was described as the strongest earthquake to affect Venezuela in more than a century.

The confirmed death toll has continued to rise, with authorities reporting more than 200 fatalities and many more injured. Hundreds of people were believed to remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, while thousands were listed as missing by online tracking platforms shared by opposition figures. Some of these missing-person figures had not been independently verified, but the scale of destruction suggests that the final toll could rise further.

La Guaira, located north of Caracas and home to Venezuela’s main international airport, appears to be one of the worst-hit areas. The airport was closed after sustaining damage, while electricity shortages, damaged hospitals and repeated aftershocks complicated rescue operations. Buildings including medical facilities, the Venezuelan Red Cross headquarters and diplomatic premises were also reported to have suffered major damage.

Emergency workers, volunteers and residents searched through collapsed structures through the night. In some areas, families reported digging through rubble without heavy equipment as they waited for official rescue teams to arrive. Several damaged buildings in Caracas and La Guaira were reported to have people trapped inside.

The earthquakes were shallow, with the main event reported at a depth of around 13 km. Shallow earthquakes can produce intense ground shaking close to the epicentral area, especially where urban areas include older buildings, weak masonry, poor detailing or informal construction. Aftershocks also create serious additional risk because already damaged structures may collapse further during rescue or re-entry.

Authorities warned residents not to enter damaged buildings and to remain alert for further shaking. This is a critical instruction after major earthquakes. A building that remains standing after the main event may still have hidden damage in columns, walls, floor slabs, stair cores, foundations or connections.

The immediate priority is saving trapped survivors, restoring access and stabilising damaged areas. Heavy equipment, search-and-rescue teams, temporary medical facilities and reliable communications are essential in the first days after a disaster of this scale.

Rapid structural assessment should follow the rescue phase. Hospitals, apartment blocks, airports, bridges, schools and emergency facilities must be prioritised because their failure affects both safety and recovery. Engineers will need to classify buildings as safe, restricted or unsafe, identify unstable façades and slabs, and support demolition or temporary shoring where collapse risk remains high.

The Venezuela earthquakes show how quickly seismic risk can become a national humanitarian crisis when dense urban areas are exposed to strong shaking. The disaster also highlights the importance of seismic-resistant design, enforcement of building standards, emergency preparedness and public communication. In the days ahead, the focus will remain on rescue. In the longer term, the challenge will be rebuilding safer structures and reducing the risk of similar losses in future earthquakes.