Venezuela Devastated by Worst Earthquake in 126 Years; Fears of Massive Casualties Rise

On June 24, local time, a series of powerful earthquakes with magnitudes of up to 7.5 struck areas near Caracas, the capital of Venezuela.

While the official death toll remains in the double digits so far, fears are growing that casualties will snowball due to the large number of collapsed buildings.

As the Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency and launched overnight rescue operations, the international community has been offering solidarity and support.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck west of Morón, a town on the Caribbean coast of northern Venezuela, at around 6:04 p.m. that day.

Just 39 seconds later, a magnitude 7.5 earthquake followed at a point about 45 kilometers southwest of the first epicenter.

The epicenter was located about 160 kilometers east of Caracas.

The New York Times (NYT) reported that this earthquake is the largest to hit the Venezuelan mainland or its nearby coast since a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck off the coast of Venezuela on October 29, 1900.

During the 1900 earthquake that shook Caracas, about 300 buildings collapsed, leaving 21 people dead and 50 injured.

The USGS estimated that the scale of damage from this earthquake could be far greater than that of the one 126 years ago.

Using predictive models, the USGS estimated a 40 percent probability of the death toll reaching 10,000 to 100,000, and a 14 percent chance that it could exceed 100,000.

As of the morning of June 25, at least 32 people have been confirmed dead and 700 injured in the consecutive earthquakes, announced Delcy Rodríguez, the interim president of Venezuela.

In an address to the nation, Interim President Rodríguez said the death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams search collapsed buildings.

Interim President Rodríguez declared a state of emergency following the powerful consecutive earthquakes and more than 20 aftershocks.

Minister of Interior Diosdado Cabello said, "We are deploying all available resources in terms of security and civil support to handle the situation," adding, "Both the fire department and the police have been mobilized."

Tremors from the earthquake were felt across Venezuela.

CNN reported that after verifying the locations of on-site videos posted on social media, widespread destruction of buildings and infrastructure was observed across Venezuela.

In particular, La Guaira State, located east of the epicenter and north of Caracas, suffered the heaviest damage, with dozens of buildings collapsing.

Interim President Rodríguez declared La Guaira State a disaster zone.

In Macuto, a coastal city in La Guaira, the large beachfront "Hotel Eduardo" almost completely collapsed.

Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira—Venezuela's largest airport and the gateway to Caracas—was also damaged by the earthquake.

Wilmer Azuaje, a former Venezuelan lawmaker, filmed and released a video showing the terror and destruction at the airport when the massive earthquake struck.

The video vividly captured people running to evacuate, along with scenes of damage and the airport interior covered in dust and debris.

In the densely populated city of Caracas, buildings shook violently and residents evacuated as damage continued to be reported.

In the Chacao district of Caracas, more than 500 emergency responders made all-out efforts to rescue residents from collapsed and damaged buildings.

Gustavo Duque, the mayor of Chacao, said in a video posted on social media, "At least 18 people have been rescued alive so far," adding, "At least two buildings have completely collapsed."

Following the earthquake, tsunami threat warnings were briefly issued for neighboring Puerto Rico, as well as the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, before being lifted about an hour later.

The United States dispatched an emergency rescue team to Venezuela, and Latin American nations also mobilized military forces and available resources to provide emergency relief.

U.S. President Donald Trump stated on his social media platform Truth Social, "The United States is ready and willing to help Venezuela, and we can help them."

Trump added, "I have instructed all government agencies to prepare to move quickly," and "We will stand with our great new friends. Initial reports are not good."

Jeremy Lewin, Acting Under Secretary of State for Foreign Assistance, said the State Department has already activated a disaster assistance response team and task force to support Venezuela.

Lewin stated on X (formerly Twitter), "During the first few days, which is the most critical period immediately following a natural disaster, we will send search and rescue teams, medical supplies, and other humanitarian aid goods to Venezuela."

Neighboring Latin American countries, including El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Mexico, and Panama, also expressed solidarity and took action.

Interim President Rodríguez announced that rescue teams from the United States, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Qatar are scheduled to arrive in Venezuela to assist with the earthquake rescue operations.

She added that China, Brazil, and Caribbean nations have also offered humanitarian assistance.

Interim President Rodríguez appealed, "I believe we can overcome this tragedy together, and I ask all citizens to remain calm and act with national unity."

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.