Venezuela declares emergency after twin earthquakes devastate coast

Venezuela's northern Caribbean coast was violently rocked by an extraordinary double-seismic sequence late Wednesday, according to the latest technical data from the US Geological Survey. A massive 7.2 magnitude foreshock first struck near the municipality of San Felipe, capital of Yaracuy state, merely 40 seconds before an even more catastrophic 7.5 mainshock — the largest recorded earthquake to strike Venezuela in over 125 years — occurred southeast of Yumare at a depth of roughly 10 kilometers, with its epicenter located just west of the coastal community of Moron. The violent tremors heavily shook the capital city of Caracas, destroying several buildings and causing thick dust columns to rise above commercial sectors as structures cracked and shed concrete facades, while emergency personnel actively searched damaged rubble for trapped or injured citizens and civil defense authorities deployed to the hardest-hit areas near the epicenter to evaluate infrastructure damage.

State of emergency

"We have officially implemented a national state of emergency to streamline rescue resources," Acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced in a televised national address, confirming a major disruption to regional transit lines and saying Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia had been closed indefinitely due to severe and extensive infrastructure damage to its main terminals and operational runways. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello told state television that the severe shaking triggered structural failures causing houses and buildings to collapse across the capital, highlighting a particularly "alarming situation" in the Altamira neighborhood where multi-story residential units suffered partial collapses leaving interior furniture visible from the street. "We recommend that you remain on the streets, watch over children and the elderly, and try to stay calm as rescue protocols are activated," Cabello said, noting that all security and emergency response agencies including civil protection, volunteers, firefighters and police are fully deployed on the scene and urging residents across heavily impacted urban areas to stay clear of indoor spaces to prevent casualties from potential aftershocks.

US aid pledges

The United States pledged immediate assistance to Venezuela following the disaster, with Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau announcing on X: "The US stands with the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of this evening's devastating earthquakes. We're in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance." US Under Secretary of State Jeremy Lewin said the State Department has already mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force to "deliver and coordinate critical assistance to the Venezuelan people," writing that "Working with our partners in the interim Venezuelan government, the U.S. will be sending search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies and other resources in the crucial first days after this tragic natural disaster." US Assistant Secretary of State for Global Public Affairs Dylan Johnson said in a separate post that Washington sends its "deepest condolences to the victims and are committed to supporting the people of Venezuela during this difficult time," urging Americans to follow State Department websites for the latest information.

Regional response

Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said on X: "I learned, with great concern and consternation, of the impacts caused by the earthquake that hit Venezuela this Wednesday," confirming he instructed his country's Foreign Ministry to assess the situation and assistance measures that Brazil can take in support of acting President Delcy Rodriguez's government in the recovery of affected areas of "this brother country." Amid mounting structural damage and localized blackouts, Rodriguez thanked the United Nations, multilateral organizations and several foreign governments for expressions of solidarity, specifically citing Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, Türkiye, Jordan, Barbados, Curacao and the United Kingdom for offering support including structural search-and-rescue assistance. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami threat warning for the immediate coast of Venezuela as well as the neighboring islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, while authorities activated an advisory for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and actively monitored coastal tide gauges for unusual wave activity.