Venezuela hit by back-to-back major earthquakes as death toll rises

Two major earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday night, killing at least 235 people and injuring more than 1,500, according to officials cited in the supplied material. The shallow quakes measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude and hit near the country's Caribbean coast within less than a minute of each other. They caused buildings to collapse, left structures cracked and tilted, and damaged Venezuela's main airport.

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Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said the death toll had risen from 188 to at least 235 as rescue work continued on Thursday. The United States Geological Survey measured the earthquakes at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, and its predictive modelling indicated the number of dead could rise sharply. A website created to track missing people and shared by opposition leaders listed more than 46,000 people as unaccounted for shortly after 7 p.m. local time, although that figure had not been independently verified in the supplied material.

Rescue efforts were still under way as desperate residents searched for relatives trapped beneath rubble. Bodies were reported visible under debris hours after the quakes, and powerful aftershocks were still being felt on Thursday. The scale of the damage prompted the United States to announce it was sending two warships, transport planes and helicopters, along with $150 million in aid, to support relief operations.

The disaster has immediate humanitarian and logistical significance because it struck a densely populated area near Caracas and La Guaira, where damage to transport infrastructure can slow emergency response. The reported airport damage is especially important because air links are often central to moving medical supplies, rescue teams and heavy equipment after a major earthquake. The casualty figures and the large number of missing people also suggest the situation remains highly fluid.

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Earthquakes of this size can cause severe destruction when they are shallow and strike close together, as happened in this case. The supplied material says the two shocks hit northern Venezuela within less than a minute of each other, increasing the strain on buildings and emergency services. The involvement of the US military and the announcement of aid also show that the response has already moved beyond local rescue efforts into international assistance.

What remains unclear is the final death toll, the number of people still trapped, and the full extent of damage to homes, roads and public services. Officials are still assessing the impact while rescue teams search the rubble and aftershocks continue. The next developments to watch are whether more survivors are found, how quickly aid reaches affected areas, and whether the casualty count rises further.

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