Venezuela Declares State Of Emergency After Twin Earthquakes Kill At Least 188

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds of each other on Wednesday, killing at least 188 people and injuring more than 1500, according to emergency figures cited by RNZ.

“Venezuela declares national state of emergency after destructive twin earthquakes Back-to-back 7”

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BBC reported that the death toll later rose to 920, with at least 172 people still believed to be trapped, as rescuers searched for survivors beneath collapsed buildings.

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The BBC said the second quake reached magnitude 7.5 and that there had been 214 aftershocks since the initial quakes, while Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said at a televised briefing on Friday that a state of emergency had been declared and airport, rail and transport services had been halted.

RNZ said the world response began immediately, with interim president Delcy Rodriguez telling viewers that United Nations-certified rescuers would help search for quake survivors.

In a televised message, RNZ quoted Delcy Rodriguez saying, "United Nations-certified rescuers will help search for quake survivors" as international teams prepared to deploy.

RNZ said Spain and France were sending dozens of specialists, Germany promised six military transport planes, and Switzerland mobilised 80 personnel, eight rescue dogs and 18 tonnes of equipment to be sent to Venezuela as soon as possible.

The BBC described how buildings collapsed and residents ran into the streets for safety as tremors from the twin quakes struck Caracas, with rescuers racing to find survivors who may be trapped beneath rubble.

BBC

In a statement carried by RNZ, Pope Leo XIV sent "initial" emergency aid of €100,000 to Venezuela, while the Vatican announced the donation.

The New York Daily News quoted U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher saying, "Venezuela will need 'all hands on deck' from the international community" as world leaders and celebrities posted messages of solidarity.

The New York Daily News also quoted French President Emmanuel Macron posting that a team of 85 French rescue workers specializing in search and clearance operations is "being deployed immediately" to Venezuela.

As rescue missions continued, BBC said the government reported hundreds of buildings damaged or lost, including 13 hospitals and 25 shopping centres, mostly in La Guaira.

“Venezuelans saw buildings crumbling on Wednesday evening when two powerful earthquakes shook the country, leaving over 100 dead and nearly 1,000 injured”

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BBC also said interim President Rodríguez earlier that La Guaira, a region north of the capital, had been hit the hardest, and that the worst-hit areas in Caracas included the neighbourhoods of Los Palos Grandes and Altamira.

RNZ said the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) released US$2.5m to support recovery efforts, while the United States said it was mobilising $150m in aid after Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised a "whole-of-government response".

The New York Daily News reported that Venezuelan officials were trying to make the most of daylight hours to speed up efforts to rescue people believed to remain trapped under collapsed buildings, with the earthquakes described as among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.

BBC warned that fears remained that many people were still trapped under the rubble and that it was likely the death toll would climb further as rescue efforts continued, even as the BBC described the quakes as shaking Caracas at about 18:04 local time on Wednesday.