CARACAS, Venezuela — Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in rapid succession Wednesday evening, causing buildings to collapse in the nation’s capital city of Caracas.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the first earthquake registered a magnitude of 7.1. Its epicenter was located west of the coastal community of Morón, situated along Venezuela’s Caribbean coastline approximately 168 kilometers (104 miles) west of Caracas. That quake reached a depth of 13 kilometers (about 8 miles).
Just one minute after the first tremor, the USGS recorded a second and even stronger earthquake measuring magnitude 7.5. That quake’s epicenter was 16 kilometers (10 miles) southwest of Morón, at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Both earthquakes are considered among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
In the aftermath, the U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert for the Virgin Islands. Authorities in the Dominican Republic also put out a similar warning for that island. A tsunami alert that had been issued for Puerto Rico was later lifted.
In Caracas, residents fled swaying buildings and gathered outside in the streets. Many were visibly shaken as they witnessed entire walls collapsed, leaving the interiors of buildings — including furniture — exposed to the street. Clouds of dust rose from at least two neighborhoods in the capital, areas where restaurants and businesses are normally bustling with activity.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed the earthquakes were felt across multiple states. He described “alarming situations” in Caracas’s Altamira neighborhood, where homes and buildings had collapsed. He indicated people had been injured and called on drivers to clear the way for ambulances and rescue crews.
Speaking on state television, Cabello urged calm and cooperation. “We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” he said. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”
Cabello also warned residents to stay outdoors, as aftershocks could cause further damage to already weakened structures.
One Caracas resident, Roberto Damas, described the terrifying experience firsthand. “The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” he said. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out.”
