32 killed, hundreds injured in Venezuela earthquake amid rescue efforts

Rescue teams raced against time overnight after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 700 others, while dozens of buildings collapsed across parts of the country.

Authorities said the twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, hit within less than a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, triggering panic in Caracas and surrounding states. The death toll is expected to rise as emergency workers continue searching through rubble in some of the worst-affected areas.

President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, saying the hardest-hit region was La Guaira State, where numerous buildings collapsed. She noted that the official casualty figures released so far do not yet include victims from some severely damaged communities.

In Caracas, rescue workers spent the night combing through collapsed structures, calling out for survivors trapped beneath concrete and twisted metal. Emergency crews recovered bodies from destroyed residential buildings while continuing searches for missing persons.

The earthquakes also caused widespread disruption to public services. Several communities were left without electricity, roads were flooded by ruptured water pipelines, and metro and rail services were suspended to support rescue and recovery operations.

Authorities also closed Simón Bolívar International Airport after it sustained significant structural damage.

Government officials urged residents to report missing relatives through emergency platforms, while temporary shelters and hotels were opened to accommodate families displaced by the disaster.

International assistance is already on the way. The United States, Mexico, Brazil, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, Qatar and several Caribbean nations have pledged search-and-rescue teams, medical personnel and humanitarian aid to support relief efforts.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the 7.5-magnitude tremor is the strongest earthquake to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

Seismologists warned that aftershocks remain possible as emergency responders continue operations in affected areas.

With hundreds injured, critical infrastructure damaged and many residents still unaccounted for, Venezuelan authorities said the focus remains on locating survivors and providing urgent assistance to communities devastated by the disaster.