earthquake
Rescue teams have been deployed across Venezuela's hardest-hit areas as authorities continue searching for survivors following the country's deadliest earthquake disaster in more than a century. Yuri Antonenko | Unsplash

At least 164 people have been killed and thousands more are feared trapped beneath collapsed buildings after Venezuela was rocked by its strongest earthquake in 126 years.

The devastating double quake, which measured magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, struck just 39 seconds apart on Wednesday, 24 June, reducing buildings to rubble across Caracas, leaving nearly a thousand people injured and prompting a massive international search-and-rescue effort.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez warned the death toll was expected to rise sharply as emergency crews race to reach survivors, with the coastal state of La Guaira declared a disaster zone amid scenes of widespread destruction.

According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the first earthquake struck near San Felipe at around 6.04pm on Wednesday. Roughly 39 seconds later, a second and stronger quake hit approximately 23 kilometres south-east of the first epicentre.

'High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,' the USGS said in a statement.

The earthquakes were the strongest to hit the country since October 1900, when a 7.7 magnitude quake struck off the Venezuelan coast, claiming lives and leaving scores injured.

However, the USGS estimates that the damage caused by the recent quakes may be far greater than that historic disaster.

Casualty Count Expected To Rise

With widespread devastation caused by the quakes, rescue teams have been deployed to search collapsed buildings across affected areas, with La Guaira state reportedly suffering the heaviest damage.

Thousands remain missing and locals have turned to social media to help locate individuals yet to be accounted for. Names, photos and last known addresses have been shared online in the hope of aiding ongoing rescue and search efforts.

The tragic event has left many terrified. Residents who escaped the wreckage described scenes of destruction comparable to a horror film as communities struggled to come to terms with the scale of the disaster.

Footage shared on social media captured terrified residents rushing into the streets as buildings shook violently during the twin tremors. Other videos showed damaged structures, debris-strewn roads and the aftermath of the powerful quakes across affected communities.

Search And Rescue Efforts Get International Aid

As authorities race to locate those still missing, several countries have pledged assistance to support rescue operations.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he had spoken with Rodríguez and pledged a swift response, confirming that search-and-rescue teams from Virginia and Los Angeles had been deployed to assist efforts in Venezuela.

'So right now we're just going to focus on the human aspect of this. There are human beings that have been harmed, that have been hurt. Some have been killed, some have been severely injured, and some are still trapped in rubble. We're going to focus on that,' Rubio told reporters.

Additional support has been pledged by the Czech Republic, Spain and the Netherlands.

Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš said his country stood ready to support rescue operations and provide immediate humanitarian aid, while Spain placed 54 army rescuers on standby along with specially trained search dogs and equipment, including rescue cameras and geophones. The Netherlands has also announced plans to send a rescue team and reportedly allocate roughly two million euros to deploy rescue workers, search dogs and equipment.

The disaster comes at a difficult time for Venezuela, which has been grappling with financial and political challenges. Rodríguez said she has already coordinated with the International Monetary Fund to create an initial assistance fund of $200 million.

As rescuers continue combing through collapsed buildings and damaged neighbourhoods, officials have warned that the death toll is likely to rise further in the coming days, with thousands of people still unaccounted for as search teams continue working through the rubble.

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