Washington : Two powerful earthquakes have rocked western Venezuela, prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency and deploy rescue teams amidst fears of high casualties and extensive damage.
The tremors were felt across a wide area, including Caracas, with reports of collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure.
Two powerful earthquakes struck western Venezuela in quick succession , triggering building collapses, causing fatalities and prompting authorities to declare a state of emergency as rescue teams raced to search for survivors trapped under debris.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake of magnitude 7.2 struck near San Felipe, about 284 kilometres west of Caracas, at 2204 GMT.
It was followed almost immediately by a stronger magnitude 7.5 quake near Yumare, around 293 kilometres west of the Venezuelan capital.
The tremors were felt across a wide area, including Caracas, where reports emerged of collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure.
The USGS warned that ‘high casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread’.
Its preliminary estimates indicated that the death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000.
The estimate was generated using the USGS’s Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquake Response (PAGER) system, which rapidly analyses factors such as earthquake magnitude, depth, location, population density, historical earthquake data and building characteristics to project likely impacts.
US President Donald Trump offered immediate American assistance to Venezuela following the disaster.
‘The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths. The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help,’ Trump said in a post on Truth Social, adding that he had instructed government agencies to prepare for a rapid response.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency following the disaster.
In a televised address, she confirmed that lives had been lost and extended condolences to families affected by the tragedy, though she did not provide an official casualty figure.
‘Attention: shortly I will address Venezuelans to report on the situation following the strong earthquake that has affected our country,’ Rodriguez had earlier said in a post on X.
According to CNN, emergency response teams have been deployed across affected areas to search for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings and damaged structures.
India’s National Center for Seismology (NCS) also reported the earthquake, saying an earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck Venezuela at a shallow depth of 15 kilometres at 0334 IST on Thursday.
The NCS said the epicentre was located at latitude 10.451 degrees North and longitude 68.352 degrees West.
The United States has also begun mobilising emergency assistance for Venezuela. US Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance Jeremy Lewin said a disaster assistance team and task force had been activated to coordinate relief efforts.
In a post on X, Lewin said the US would send search-and-rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies, and other resources to assist Venezuelans in the aftermath of the disaster.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Caracas said it was closely monitoring the aftermath of the earthquake and advised American citizens in Venezuela to avoid damaged areas, stay out of affected buildings, monitor local media for updates and seek secure shelter.
Authorities are continuing to assess the scale of the damage as rescue and relief operations remain underway.(ANI)
1 lakh feared dead as 2 powerful quakes rattle Venezuela
