Key facts
- Two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck Venezuela.
- The earthquakes caused widespread damage, including collapsed buildings and the closure of the main airport.
- Residents were forced to evacuate homes and seek shelter outdoors.
- Authorities reported severe damage and urged citizens to remain calm and seek unity.
- In Falcon state, 32 people were hospitalized and 15 remained trapped under rubble.
Powerful back-to-back earthquakes, including a 7.5 magnitude tremor, struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing widespread damage, collapsing buildings, and sending panicked residents into the streets. Acting-President Delcy Rodríguez described the damage as 'severe' and declared a state of emergency, urging citizens to remain calm and united. The main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport, was severely damaged and closed, and schools were cancelled for several days to manage the crisis. In the coastal state of Falcon, Governor Víctor Clark reported that 32 people had been hospitalized and 15 remained trapped under rubble more than four hours after the quake. The earthquakes, among the strongest to hit the nation in over a century, also caused power outages and dust columns in the capital, Caracas.