Venezuela Earthquakes Kill 235, Injure 4,300

Caracas. At least 235 people have died and more than 4,300 have been injured in two powerful earthquakes that struck near Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela. 

Rescue workers are working intensely to rescue people alive from the rubble of collapsed buildings after the earthquake. 

Voices calling for help have been heard from inside the rubble in Caracas and the nearby coastal city of La Guaira. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), a 7.2 magnitude earthquake first struck, followed by another powerful 7.5 magnitude earthquake just seconds later. The damage was significant because both earthquakes occurred at shallow depths below the Earth's surface.

Many people are feared dead and many have been rendered homeless by the disaster. People are spending nights on the streets in fear as their homes are unsafe. The earthquake struck at 6:04 PM local time on Wednesday, a national holiday, meaning more people were at home than on a normal day. 

According to the USGS, the first earthquake was centered at a depth of 20.3 kilometers below the surface, and the second at 10 kilometers. Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, and Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, informed on Thursday that the death toll had increased further.

Various countries have pledged assistance for the rescue and relief of the victims. The United States has announced $150 million in aid and is sending military ships and aircraft for search, rescue, and rapid relief efforts. According to Rodríguez, primarily in La Guaira, 250 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including a 10-story hotel that completely collapsed. 

In addition to the capital Caracas, the states of Trujillo, Yaracuy, Carabobo, Aragua, and Miranda have also been affected. Gustavo Duque, the mayor of Chacao within the Caracas metropolitan area, stood in front of a collapsed building and stated that 11 people had died and 23 had been rescued alive.

Venezuela's main international airport in Maiquetía has been closed due to severe damage caused by the earthquake. According to President Delcy Rodríguez, at least 30 aftershocks have occurred since the main earthquake. 

The USGS has indicated that the death toll could still rise as this natural disaster has spread over a very large area. Based on past similar earthquakes and population distribution, there is a 42% probability of more than 10,000 deaths and a 33% probability of exceeding 100,000. The poor quality of buildings and the time of the earthquake also contributed to the increased human casualties.

It is difficult to collect the actual details of the damage due to the power outage and disruption of internet services. The Altamira and Los Palos Grandes areas of Caracas have been the most affected. 

These areas were also the most affected in a major earthquake in 1967, which claimed 200 lives at that time. According to USGS records, this is the most powerful earthquake to hit Venezuela since 1900. The tremors of this earthquake were felt as far away as Bogotá, the capital of Colombia, hundreds of kilometers away.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado prayed for all Venezuelan families in this time of sorrow. Rescue teams are searching for survivors, and the United States, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, and Qatar are assisting in this effort. 

This is the first test of the changed relationship between the US and Venezuela since President Donald Trump ordered the capture of Nicolás Maduro last January. Trump wrote on Truth Social,