Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Jumps to 164 as Nearly 1,000 Injured in Twin Quakes

The humanitarian crisis in Venezuela has deepened after the death toll from the country’s devastating twin earthquakes climbed to at least 164, with hundreds of others injured as rescue teams continue searching through collapsed buildings.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez announced on Thursday that 971 people have been injured, while authorities continue to assess the full scale of the disaster that struck the South American nation.

The powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, hit the same region on Wednesday, according to the United States Geological Survey. The tremors caused widespread destruction, damaging infrastructure, collapsing buildings, and forcing the closure of Venezuela’s main airport.

Officials also reported around 30 aftershocks since the initial earthquakes, raising concerns about further structural failures and complicating rescue operations in affected communities.

Scenes from the capital, Caracas, revealed the scale of the devastation. In the Altamira district, a 22-storey building was reduced to rubble, with desperate relatives and volunteers searching for survivors trapped beneath the debris.

Witnesses described emotional scenes as residents called out the names of missing family members while emergency responders worked around the clock. “We need flashlights,” one volunteer reportedly shouted while navigating the wreckage.

International support has begun to emerge following the disaster. Donald Trump expressed condolences and pledged assistance, saying the United States was prepared to support relief efforts after what he described as two massive earthquakes that caused extensive loss of life.

According to the USGS, the first quake struck approximately 21 kilometres west of the coastal town of Morón. Just 39 seconds later, a second and even stronger earthquake occurred roughly 45 kilometres away, creating what experts described as a rare and destructive seismic doublet.

With rescue operations still ongoing and aftershocks continuing, authorities fear the casualty figures could rise further as emergency workers reach heavily damaged areas