188 dead, 1,520 injured, 200 still trapped: Venezuela races against time after twin earthquakes
Two powerful tremors of magnitude 7.1 and 7.5 within one minute, at a depth of 10 km, epicentre near Morón, 160 km from Caracas. The capital lies in ruins, residents in panic, the death toll rises. Authorities warn that about 200 people remain trapped under the rubble.
As reported by CCTV+, the death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday has risen to 188, with 1,520 injured and about 200 people still trapped under collapsed buildings, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on Thursday. Rodríguez said the country is racing against time to rescue the injured and those buried under the debris, adding that casualty figures will be updated in the coming hours.
In the capital Caracas, residents described terrifying moments. María Auxiliadora Fernández said: "An alarm went off on my phone. It said 'danger', 'earthquake', 'magnitude 6' or something like that. I thought it was a virus and deleted it, but then I started hearing noises. It was very strong — you could hear it on that floor, debris was falling. It lasted a long time. We waited and then went down the stairs while everyone was screaming desperately. It was really terrible. After that, I went to look for my mother, who lives on the 12th floor — she was just two blocks away. She managed to get out, and those two blocks meant running through a lot of debris. Most buildings were badly damaged."
Armando Ochoa, another resident, described the devastation in his neighbourhood: "We are in the San Bernardino area. The apartment right next to ours completely collapsed. Our building is right next to it and also suffered heavy damage. We are now being evacuated by civil defence order. We were inside the apartment, and it was terrible. I thought we were done for because the shaking was just horrifying. We managed to get out, although we thought the whole building was about to collapse on us."
The US Geological Survey reported a magnitude 7.1 earthquake at 22:04 GMT on Wednesday, followed just one minute later by an even stronger magnitude 7.5 quake. Both tremors struck near the coastal town of Morón, about 160 km west of Caracas. The earthquakes were recorded at a relatively shallow depth of 10 km, which amplified their destructive impact.
Venezuela lies in a seismically active zone at the boundary of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates. Earthquakes above magnitude 7 are rare here but can be devastating. The proximity of the epicentre to densely populated Caracas and the shallow depth made these tremors particularly dangerous. Search and rescue operations continue, and authorities urge citizens to remain calm and follow official information.
When the ground gives way twice in one minute, the world ceases to be reliable. Residents of Caracas, who were planning their day yesterday, are now searching for loved ones under the rubble. The phone warning that María mistook for a virus turned out to be a reality from which there is no escape. Two hundred people are still waiting for help. Rescuers are working round the clock, but time is running out. In such disasters, humans are powerless against nature, but it is in these moments that it becomes clear what holds us together — not concrete and steel, but the ability to reach out to those who are trapped.
