Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 164, hundreds still missing

Rescuers pulled survivors from a 22-story building in Caracas as back-to-back earthquakes left at least 164 people dead and hundreds missing across northern Venezuela. The strongest blows came less than a minute apart at about 6:04 p.m. local time on June 24, when magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes struck near San Felipe and then near Yumare and Morón on the Caribbean coast.

At least 971 people were injured, up from an earlier count of 32 dead and 700 injured, as teams pushed through collapsed buildings and unstable rubble. The U.S. Geological Survey forecast high casualties and extensive damage.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez called La Guaira, north of Caracas, a “true tragedy” and a “disaster zone” after dozens of buildings collapsed there and in parts of the capital, including the Altamira district. The main airport in Caracas was closed because of heavy damage, classes were suspended, and the national government declared a state of emergency. Rodríguez also announced a $200 million reconstruction fund for hospitals and homes and called on doctors, nurses and other health workers to report immediately to hospitals and clinics.

The quakes hit on a national holiday commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo. The holiday disrupted movement and added another obstacle for emergency crews. The shaking was among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century and was felt far beyond the capital, with evacuations as far away as Brazil’s Amazon.

The United States was sending search-and-rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian aid, while Colombia, Brazil, Mexico, China and other governments also offered assistance.