A series of powerful earthquakes, including one measuring 7.2 magnitude, struck near Caracas, Venezuela, on Wednesday, causing buildings to collapse, disrupting a professional baseball game, and prompting evacuations as far away as the Brazilian Amazon. The first quake occurred shortly after 6 p.m. local time, followed by a second, stronger 7.5 magnitude earthquake a minute later.
The tremors were powerful enough to be felt across Venezuela and in parts of Colombia and Brazil. In Caracas, players and umpires scrambled for safety during a professional baseball game between the Carabobo Mariners and Caracas Senators. As captured on the national baseball league's YouTube channel, LMBP TV, players fled their dugouts to the outfield as the stadium shook violently.
The earthquakes, among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century, caused significant damage. Entire walls of buildings collapsed in the capital, revealing interiors to the street, and dust columns rose in neighborhoods where businesses were busy. Streets were blocked by debris from collapsed buildings and toppled electric poles. Power and cellphone service were lost in parts of the capital, deepening the distress for many, particularly for families separated by the country's ongoing crisis.
Residents described the experience of the earthquake growing in intensity, forcing them to evacuate their homes and gather in the streets. Many remained outside for hours after sunset, with some sitting on the ground with their pets amidst the dust and debris.
Buildings were also evacuated in Manaus, Belem, and Macapá in Brazil's Amazon region, approximately 1,000 miles from the epicenter. The quakes were felt in Colombia's Caribbean and northeast regions, though no damages or injuries were reported there. The Colombian Maritime Authority stated that the country's Caribbean coast was not at risk of a tsunami.
Tsunami alerts were briefly issued for the Virgin Islands, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, but were later lifted. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) initially reported the first earthquake at a magnitude of 7.1, later revising it to 7.2. Its epicenter was located west of Morón, about 104 miles west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometers. The second, stronger quake registered at 7.5 magnitude with an epicenter southwest of Morón at a depth of 10 kilometers.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez stated that she was preparing to address the nation. However, her government's delay in providing reports on injuries or fatalities drew criticism from politicians and citizens. Opposition presidential candidate Edmundo González commented on X, "The uncertainty becomes yet another layer of anguish." Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, speaking from exile, posted on X, "May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time."
Earthquakes are considered unusual in Venezuela. While the country is situated near fault lines, its location on the boundary between the South American and Caribbean plates makes seismic activity less frequent compared to other parts of Latin America along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
The USGS is estimating a wide range of casualties, potentially between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths.
