Powerful earthquakes strike Venezuela's capital Caracas, collapsing buildings
Two strong earthquakes hit Caracas, Venezuela, on Wednesday afternoon, causing major damage including collapsed buildings and damage at the international airport, with officials warning of possible aftershocks.
Venezuela's capital, Caracas, was struck by two powerful earthquakes on Wednesday afternoon, causing significant damage at the international airport and collapsing several large buildings. According to the US Geological Survey, a magnitude 7.2 foreshock occurred first, followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock. The epicenter was located west of the community of Moron along Venezuela's Caribbean coast, about 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas, at a depth of 13 kilometers (8 miles).
Social media videos showed panic at Maiquetía airport as passengers ran through corridors seeking cover from falling debris. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told state broadcaster VTV that the seismic event was "considerably above 7 points" and that there were several complicated areas with collapsed buildings and homes. He warned that aftershocks are likely and could bring down damaged structures, urging citizens to stay outdoors and remain calm.
A Guardian reporter observed at least three collapsed buildings in Altamira, an upscale area of Caracas home to many foreign embassies. Some people were reportedly trapped under rubble, but the number of victims and death toll was not immediately clear. Outside one building, a person was seen weeping and calling out for his grandmother, fearing she was inside. Thick columns of dust rose from the city as residents fled damaged buildings with their belongings and pets.
In the San Bernardino area of northern Caracas, a man could be heard in footage saying, "There are many injured people inside. It's a disaster." In Baruta, a suburb of Caracas, a landslide triggered by the earthquake damaged buildings, and civil defense workers used stretchers to carry victims. Baruta's mayor, Darwin González, posted footage of a woman being rescued and appealed for calm. Exiled opposition leader and Nobel laureate María Corina Machado expressed solidarity on social media, writing, "My heart, my infinite embrace, and my prayers are with every Venezuelan home in these hours of anguish."
