Buildings collapse in Caracas after powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela

Powerful earthquakes have struck west of Venezuela's capital, Caracas, causing buildings to collapse and prompting scientists to estimate "high casualties and extensive damage" across the South American nation. The US Geological Survey reported a magnitude 7.2 earthquake followed by a 7.5 tremor less than a minute later.

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High casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread.

"High casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread," the USGS stated, with initial estimates suggesting a death toll between 10,000 and 100,000. Authorities have not yet released official figures for casualties or injuries.

Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on state television that "Some buildings have been brought down (in Caracas), houses have collapsed." Video footage captured emergency workers navigating the rubble of a collapsed building in the capital as night fell. Many Venezuelans were at home celebrating a public holiday when the quakes hit.

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Some buildings have been brought down (in Caracas), houses have collapsed.

Residents described intense fear and destruction. "As soon as it started, we began hearing people screaming," said Astrid Ramirez, a 41-year-old publicist in western Caracas. "Everyone was running down the stairs." Maria Romero, an 80-year-old pensioner in eastern Caracas, described the earthquake as "horrible, even worse than the one in 1967."

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As soon as it started, we began hearing people screaming. Everyone was running down the stairs.

Venezuela is situated in a seismically active region where the Caribbean Plate collides with the South American Plate. The US Tsunami Warning System issued and later withdrew a tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and the US and British Virgin Islands, as well as islands off Venezuela's coast.

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This earthquake was horrible, even worse than the one in 1967.