After earthquakes, a state of emergency was declared in Venezuela; in Caracas, the airport was closed and people are being searched for under the rubble

In Venezuela, a state of emergency has been declared after two powerful earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. In the capital, Caracas, the main international airport Maiquetía was closed due to serious damage, and rescuers continue search and rescue operations at building collapse sites, reports BBC, writes UNN.

Details

The acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced the declaration of a state of emergency. Together with the leadership of the security agencies, she reported the creation of an operational headquarters and the appointment of a general who will coordinate the elimination of the consequences of the natural disaster across the country.

In the capital, buildings collapsed and the main airport was closed

According to Rodríguez, the Maiquetía International Airport has ceased operations due to serious damage caused by the tremors. Previously released footage from the terminal showed people running out of the building during the earthquake, with debris falling from the ceiling and clouds of dust rising.

Powerful earthquakes occurred almost simultaneously off the coasts of Japan and Venezuela25.06.26, 02:12

In the northern district of Caracas, San Bernardino, rescuers are clearing the rubble of a multi-story residential building where people may be trapped.

According to unconfirmed information, at least one person has died, but official data on the number of victims and injured has not yet been released. At the same time, authorities warn that the scale of destruction could be significantly greater.

Experts warn of a possible large-scale catastrophe

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the double earthquake has a high potential to cause widespread destruction and significant loss of life. According to the service's preliminary automated assessment, there is a 44% probability that the death toll will exceed 10,000 people, and a 30% probability that the number of victims could exceed 100,000. However, these figures are a predictive model, not confirmed data.

Tremors were felt in various regions of the country. In Caracas, reports indicate building collapses, fuel supply disruptions, and numerous calls for rescuers to sites of destruction. The Ministry of Internal Affairs urged residents to leave damaged buildings, and the U.S. Embassy recommended avoiding dangerous areas, not entering emergency structures, and monitoring official information.

In Venezuela, up to 100,000 people could have died due to a powerful earthquake25.06.26, 03:35