Buildings flattened, mountains of rubble, screams, sobs, and children sleeping in the middle of the street with tears in their eyes — this is the grim reality across Venezuela one day after two devastating earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck near Caracas, the nation’s capital.
Rescue Efforts Continue Amid Rising Toll
As of Friday morning (local time), rescue teams and volunteers continue digging through collapsed structures, desperately trying to reach those still trapped. The confirmed death toll has risen to 235, with more than 1,500 injured. Even more alarming is the sharp increase in the number of missing people — jumping from 10,000 to 50,000 within hours.
U.S. Geological Survey estimates — echoed by seismologists — warn that the final death toll could climb as high as 100,000.
La Guaira Hit Hardest
The northern coastal state of La Guaira bore the brunt of the disaster. Home to Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía and the seaside city of Catia La Mar — where numerous buildings collapsed — La Guaira alone saw an estimated 100 structures reduced to ruins. Aerial footage captured shortly after the quakes shows the staggering scale of destruction.
Experts say the entire catastrophe unfolded in just 40 seconds — two powerful, back-to-back tremors leveling hundreds of mostly multi-storey buildings across Caracas and surrounding areas.
Desperate Search for Survivors
How many remain buried beneath the debris remains unknown. Local residents report hearing voices and cries from under the rubble but say they lack the tools or heavy machinery needed to mount a proper rescue. “There’s a young woman from the 11th floor who answered me — but we have no equipment, no means to get her out,” said Antonio Bermúdez, a local resident.
Many Venezuelans accuse state authorities of being completely unprepared — citing a total absence of heavy rescue equipment and coordinated emergency response infrastructure.
International Aid Mobilizes
The United States, European Union, and China have deployed large-scale humanitarian and technical assistance missions to support local efforts. Meanwhile, survivors share harrowing accounts: 37-year-old Lisbeth Vásquez told AFP her family narrowly escaped by jumping from windows as their apartment building “collapsed completely.”
“It was terrifying,” she said.