TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency after massive earthquakes destroyed buildings in Caracas.
Accompanied by her brother Jorge, who is the head of the National Assembly, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Rodriguez said that she was extending her condolences to the families of those who "sadly suffered the loss of a family member."
She did not provide a death toll or a figure for those injured.
Rodriguez explained that rescue efforts are now the top priority, adding that school classes would be suspended and train services would be halted.
She said that the Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia, near Caracas, is closed due to damage.
‘High Casualties’ Likely in Venezuela, USGS Says
Strong earthquakes brought buildings down in Caracas. On state television, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced that some buildings had been brought down and houses had collapsed in Caracas.
"High casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread," the US Geological Survey (USGS) said.
The USGS said, based on data from the types of structures common in the area, that there was a 44% chance that fatalities will exceed 10,000.
Venezuelan authorities did not immediately provide estimates of deaths or injuries.
Venezuela’s 7.2 Quake Was Foreshock to More Powerful 7.5 Earthquake, Says USGS
The magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck central Venezuela on Wednesday just 39 seconds ahead of a second more powerful quake was a foreshock, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
Foreshocks are earthquakes that precede larger earthquakes in the same location. However, an earthquake cannot be identified as a foreshock until after a larger earthquake in the same area occurs, according to the USGS.
On Wednesday, Venezuela was hit by back-to-back powerful earthquakes measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, causing extensive damage in the capital, Caracas.
According to the USGS, the second quake was the mainshock of a severe seismic doublet sequence.
A seismic doublet is defined as two earthquakes of similar magnitude that occur close in time and proximity, the USGS said.
In September 2025, the country experienced a seismic doublet when magnitude 6.2 and 6.3 earthquakes shook western and northern Venezuela.
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