Venezuela Earthquakes Leave at Least 32 Dead, Dozens of Buildings Collapsed

Venezuela is grappling with the aftermath of powerful earthquakes that struck the nation, claiming at least 32 lives and injuring more than 700 people, according to government officials. The tremors caused dozens of buildings to collapse, prompting urgent rescue efforts amid fears that the death toll could rise.

Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's acting presidential chief of staff, announced the casualty figures early on May 25, describing the situation in the northern town of La Guaira as a "true tragedy." She stated that rescue teams are working tirelessly to save lives from the rubble. While the exact number of missing persons and collapsed structures remains unclear, the scale of the devastation is significant.

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Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are engaged in a difficult rescue operation to save the lives that God allows.

The earthquakes have crippled essential infrastructure. Simón Bolívar International Airport near the capital, Caracas, sustained damage and has been closed. Service disruptions were also reported for the subway system and gas supplies. In response to the damage, school classes have been suspended for several days, with some school buildings repurposed as shelters and donation collection points.

Rodríguez appealed to medical professionals to assist at hospitals and urged the public to remain calm. The earthquakes occurred consecutively on the evening of May 24 in northwestern Venezuela. The U.S. Geological Survey reported two major quakes: a magnitude 7.2 tremor near Morón, west of Caracas, followed by a magnitude 7.5 quake about 16 kilometers southwest of Morón just a minute later. Víctor Clark, the governor of Falcón state, which is near the epicenter, reported that 32 people were hospitalized in the region and 15 were trapped in collapsed buildings.

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La Guaira in the north has faced a true tragedy and has become a disaster area.