Venezuela earthquakes: ‘We were walking and it was tossing us around,’ say Caracas residents

Caracas: Powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening tossed people off balance, brought down buildings and left thousands of residents fleeing into the streets as emergency crews raced to assess the damage across several states.

“The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” Caracas resident Roberto Gamas said after the back-to-back 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes rattled the country. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out.”

The quakes, among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, collapsed buildings in the capital Caracas, toppled power poles and disrupted cellphone networks, leaving many families struggling to contact loved ones. Residents remained outdoors for hours after the shaking stopped, fearing aftershocks.

“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” said Caracas resident Hector Ricci.

Witnesses described scenes of panic as entire walls crumbled, exposing rooms and furniture to the street, while dust clouds rose above several neighbourhoods. Some residents sat on pavements hugging their pets as debris blocked roads and emergency vehicles moved through affected areas.

Authorities later closed Maiquetía International Airport and cancelled classes while assessing the extent of the destruction. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said parts of Caracas, including the Altamira neighbourhood, had reported collapsed buildings and possible injuries.

“We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”

The earthquakes struck shortly after 6 p.m. near the coastal town of Morón, west of Caracas, and were felt across much of Venezuela as well as parts of Colombia and Brazil. Rescue and damage-assessment operations continued late into the night as authorities worked to determine the full impact of the disaster.