Twin 7.2 and 7.5 Magnitude Quakes Devastate Caracas, Buildings Collapse

Two strong earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, hit the Caracas metropolitan area on Wednesday evening, causing at least two buildings in the Chacao municipality to collapse completely. Mayor Gustavo Duque Saez said more than 500 emergency workers were deployed to rescue residents, and 18 people had been pulled alive from the rubble. He urged families searching for missing relatives to gather at Plaza Altamira and Plaza Los Palos Grandes, where officials have set up an emergency centre offering water, shelter and information. > "In Chacao, no one is alone, and we won't move from here until every resident is rescued," the mayor said.

Journalist Nicole Kolster, who was on the seventh floor of an apartment in Palos Grandes when the tremor began, described the shaking as the strongest she had ever experienced and recounted taking cover between a door and a stone wall until neighbours urged residents to evacuate. The first quake struck at 18:04 local time, coinciding with a national holiday that kept many people at home. Video footage showed residents fleeing streets and attempting to secure belongings as buildings swayed.

The United States Geological Survey warned that the disaster is likely widespread, citing a 44% probability of more than 10,000 fatalities and a significant risk of landslides and soil liquefaction. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on state television that additional structures had collapsed, and noted that the tremors were felt as far away as Bogotá, Colombia. Authorities continue to assess damage, while aftershocks are expected.