235 dead, thousands missing in devastating Venezuela earthquakes
Two powerful earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela near the coastal city of Morón on Wednesday evening, killing at least 235 people and leaving thousands missing. A state of emergency has been declared in four heavily affected states, with La Guaira designated a disaster zone.
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A series of devastating earthquakes hit Venezuela on Wednesday evening, with the strongest two registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 near the coastal city of Morón. The quakes were followed by approximately 30 aftershocks. According to official reports, at least 235 people have been confirmed dead, while several thousand remain unaccounted for.
Among the deceased are several foreign nationals: two Brazilian citizens, two Chinese citizens, and one dual Venezuelan-Italian citizen. The hardest-hit areas include the states of Trujillo, Carabobo, Miranda, and La Guaira. La Guaira has been officially declared a disaster zone, where widespread infrastructure collapse, total power outages, and overwhelmed emergency services have been reported. Hundreds of buildings have been either fully or partially destroyed. The Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency as rescue operations continue.
