Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency after two powerful earthquakes and nearly two dozen aftershocks struck the country, causing widespread destruction and collapsing buildings in the capital, Caracas. The twin tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, killed 32 people and injured more than 700, according to Rodriguez's announcement on Thursday.
Government Response and Airport Closure
Appearing on state television alongside her brother Jorge Rodriguez, the head of the national assembly, and Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, Delcy Rodriguez extended her condolences to the families of those killed. She also announced that Maiquetia International Airport, located near Caracas, would be closed due to “serious damage” to its infrastructure caused by the earthquakes.
Eyewitness Accounts from Caracas
Journalist Noris Soto, reporting from Caracas, described the terrifying experience. Many people were at home when the earthquake struck because it was a public holiday in Venezuela. “I was at home, we were watching the World Cup like a regular holiday, and then we felt this huge movement, this huge shock. And then all I could see was shattered glass. My building was fractured right in the middle,” Soto told Al Jazeera.
“People were trying to get out of the apartment, trying to get out of their houses. What I can say is that we were not prepared for what happened today. This is a very critical situation. We are all in shock. People are still trying to process and to understand what just happened to us today.”
Historical Context and Communication Challenges
Soto noted that the last major earthquake to hit Venezuela was in the 1960s, leaving residents unprepared for such an event. “You feel like the Earth beneath you is shaking, and you’re not sure if we’re going to make it. It’s a frightening situation for anybody. This is not something that I would wish on another person.”
The full extent of the destruction remains unclear, as communication lines have been severely disrupted. “We haven’t been able to access much information from the ground because all the lines of communications – the phone lines and the internet – are down. But the little information we have been able to gather is that the situation is even worse,” Soto added. “People have lost their homes and basically have lost everything.”
