Venezuela races to rescue hundreds trapped in rubble after major twin earthquakes

Hundreds of people in Venezuela remained trapped under rubble and many more were unaccounted for on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes devastated areas in and around the capital Caracas. The quakes killed hundreds, damaged buildings, and left thousands homeless.

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck about 160 km west of Caracas on Wednesday evening, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, the strongest since 1900, according to the US Geological Survey. The disaster hit a country already weakened by years of economic turmoil, which left much of its infrastructure fragile and complicated rescue efforts as aftershocks rattled the capital and surrounding coastal areas.

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It has become a disaster zone.

Health Minister Carlos Alvarado reported late Thursday that medical centers had received around 235 dead, but did not provide a total casualty count. Jorge Rodriguez, head of Venezuela’s national assembly, stated earlier that 200 people were trapped and 250 buildings were damaged or destroyed. At least eight hospitals, the headquarters of the Venezuelan Red Cross, and the French embassy were among the badly damaged buildings. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said some 70,000 families in La Guaira state were affected.

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He’s under the slabs and there’s no machinery to get him out.

La Guaira, the coastal state adjoining Caracas and home to the capital’s main airport, was among the hardest-hit areas. "It has become a disaster zone," acting President Delcy Rodriguez said, adding that the government was working with private companies to bring in heavy equipment and speed up rescues. Electricity remained scarce in parts of the state, and the Caracas airport was closed after suffering damage. Witness videos from the terminal showed scenes of panic as ceiling panels crashed down. Emergency workers and volunteers searched through collapsed buildings into the night. However, in some areas, residents reported that official help had been slow to arrive. Yamileth Jimenez, a resident of La Guaira city, said her 19-year-old son was still trapped in the debris of their seven-story apartment building. "He’s under the slabs and there’s no machinery to get him out," said Jimenez.

In La Guaira city, volunteers dug through wreckage with their bare hands as families waited for news of missing relatives. Along the Caracas-La Guaira highway, streams of civilians headed toward the coast carrying water, food, and medicine, stepping in as the scale of the disaster overwhelmed initial rescue efforts. "We lost everything. We have no food or medicines... We hope help arrives quickly," said Pedro Perez, 64, an upholstery workshop owner who lost both his home and business and was sleeping on the street with his wife and children. Many Venezuelans were at home when the quakes struck during a public holiday.

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We lost everything. We have no food or medicines... We hope help arrives quickly.