Two major quakes strike the capital within minutes, leaving collapsed buildings and feared high casualties

A series of powerful earthquakes rocked northern Venezuela on Wednesday morning, with back-to-back tremors measuring above magnitude 7.0 severely damaging parts of the capital, Caracas.

The first and strongest quake hit at approximately 7.1 magnitude, followed minutes later by a second major tremor. Both events were centered near the capital, sending people running into the streets as buildings swayed violently and several structures collapsed. Early reports from Reuters and local authorities indicate significant damage to residential and commercial buildings, with rescue teams already working through rubble in multiple neighborhoods.

CBS News and NBC News reported “heavy damage” in Caracas, while Al Jazeera noted that “many casualties are feared.” Rescue operations are underway, though the full extent of the destruction is still being assessed. The country’s civil defense agency and international monitoring groups have yet to release official casualty figures.

Venezuela sits in a seismically active zone, but major destructive quakes remain relatively infrequent. The speed and force of Wednesday’s back-to-back events caught many residents off guard, with widespread power outages and communications disruptions reported across the capital.

Authorities are urging residents to stay clear of damaged structures due to the risk of aftershocks. The situation remains fluid as rescue crews search for survivors.