Venezuelan Airports Operational Except Caracas Hub After Quakes

Venezuela's international airports are functioning following recent earthquakes, with the exception of the primary airport serving the capital, Caracas. Marisela De Loaiza, president of the Venezuelan Airline Association (ALAV), confirmed that an official bulletin from the National Institute of Civil Aeronautics (INAC) indicated all international airports were operational except for Maiquetía.

The Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía suffered severe damage and was closed on Wednesday. This led to flight cancellations by airlines including Iberia, Air Europa, and Plus Ultra on the Madrid-Caracas route. Copa Airlines initially canceled flights to Caracas and later added Barquisimeto, Valencia, and Barcelona to its cancellations, though it later announced the resumption of services to these three cities.

The seismic activity, described as a "double seismic event" with two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, has resulted in at least 188 deaths and 1,520 injuries, according to official figures. Additionally, 2,927 families are displaced, 157 people are reported missing, 200 are trapped, 250 buildings are damaged, and eight hospitals have been affected. Authorities have registered 138 aftershocks, prompting acting president Delcy Rodríguez to declare some areas, including La Guaira, as disaster zones.