What we know about Venezuela’s biggest earthquake in more than a century
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By Jessie Yeung, Michael Rios, Taylor Ward, Issy Ronald, Charlotte Reck, CNN
(CNN) — Rescuers are desperately searching through piles of rubble in Venezuela after the country was rocked by two powerful earthquakes on Wednesday, leaving scores of people dead and widespread destruction in a country already beset by economic and political turmoil.
At least 589 people have died, 2,980 more have been injured and many remain missing in the largest earthquake event to hit the country in more than a century. The true extent of the toll is still feared to be much higher as crews dig through rubble and survivors are left on the street with nowhere to go.
This comes at a dire time for Venezuela, which is being led by an interim government after US forces captured President Nicolás Maduro earlier this year, and facing an economy crippled by years of hyperinflation.
Here’s what we know:
What happened?
A magnitude 7.2 foreshock took place near San Felipe, the capital city of Yaracuy state, just after 6:04 p.m. ET.
Just 40 seconds later, it was followed by a larger 7.5 magnitude quake, some 23 kilometers (about 14 miles) southeast of Yumare, a town also in Yaracuy state.
It was what the US Geological Survey calls a “doublet” – a rare phenomenon that contained not one but two major earthquakes of similar destructive energy.
Wednesday was a public holiday, meaning many people may have been home or at public events.
The quake was felt in states across the country, as well as in neighboring Colombia, hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter.
Videos geolocated by CNN showed some buildings collapsing in seconds, and terrified residents evacuating buildings with their loved ones and pets before gathering on the street. One resident in the capital Caracas who escaped from a damaged building said “the scene was like a horror movie.”
What’s the situation on the ground?
The death toll is expected to keep rising. After a delayed emergency response in many areas of the country, rescuers are racing to find survivors, with the first 48 to 72 hours after a quake widely regarded as the “golden” window to reach people buried alive.
Some 250 buildings have collapsed or endured damage, with the coastal state of La Guaira hardest hit and now declared a disaster zone, said acting President Delcy Rodriguez, who stepped into the role after Maduro’s capture.
In La Guaira, a large waterfront hotel in the city of Macuto was reduced to rubble, while in the town of Catia La Mar, videos show several collapsed buildings and badly damaged high-rises.
From the ground outside another high-rise apartment building in Playa Grande, La Guaira, local resident Carlos Baez could see his neighbor trapped. The neighbor was able to wave back from the rubble of a mid-level floor, but no rescue crew has reached her yet as of Thursday afternoon.
Experts say buildings in Venezuela are more likely to collapse than structures in other quake-prone places like Japan or California that have stronger enforcement of building codes – one possible factor behind the high death toll. Many buildings are also unlikely to have been retrofitted in line with modern earthquake regulations, experts said.
Other images showed overwhelmed hospitals, with improvised wards in hallways and even on the street due to the large number of wounded – reflecting Venezuela’s long-suffering health system, which has faced years of deterioration and lack of investment.
Thousands of Caracas and La Guaira residents have slept outdoors or in their cars for two nights now, fearful of unstable buildings, as well as aftershocks that kept hitting the city even after the major quakes had subsided.
Many are still unaware of their loved ones’ fate. In the Los Palos Grandes area in eastern Caracas, anguished people pleaded with authorities Thursday for news about relatives whose buildings collapsed.
Disruptions to internet connectivity, thanks to damaged power and telecoms infrastructure, may hinder rescue efforts and the flow of information from affected areas in the coming days.
What’s the response?
Venezuela declared a state of emergency, with a high-level task force created to oversee search and rescue operations, and an initial $200 million fund to rebuild the country, Rodriguez said Wednesday night.
Local councils are also setting up shelters in schools and baseball stadiums, while aid organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières are coordinating with local hospitals and donating trauma emergency kits.
Meanwhile, countries around the world are coordinating with Venezuela to send assistance as soon as possible.
The US has deployed rescue teams, medical resources, humanitarian assistance, and equipment such as aircraft to assess damage after President Donald Trump voiced his support. The State Department announced that the US will provide $150 million in aid.
Search and rescue teams from Chile, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, Spain and Switzerland arrived in Venezuela on Friday, according to state broadcaster VTV. Crews from more nations are on the way.
Other countries have offered humanitarian aid, including China, Brazil, and some Caribbean nations.
Residents have said that there is not enough aid to meet people’s needs, and that the first responders are struggling to cope with the number of people injured or missing under the rubble.
This story has been updated with additional information.
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CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon, Avery Schmitz, Thomas Bordeaux, Ivonne Valdes, Camille Rodriguez and Lauren Kent contributed to this report.
