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Two Earthquakes Kill 32 and Damage Caracas Airport
Back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes struck western Venezuela on June 24, collapsing parts of Simon Bolivar International Airport and killing at least 32 people. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said rescue teams are searching rubble across La Guaira state.
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Two powerful earthquakes struck western Venezuela on June 24, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 700, according to acting President Delcy Rodriguez. The 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude tremors hit roughly 30 seconds apart with epicenters three miles apart near the town of Yumare, about 100 miles west of Caracas, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
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Video recorded inside Simon Bolivar International Airport showed ceiling panels and bricks falling onto the concourse as travelers ran for cover. Two women narrowly avoided injury when a section of the terminal collapsed. The same footage captured dust filling the air and debris covering desks and floors after the shaking stopped.
The airport, Venezuela’s busiest, sits in La Guaira state, which officials said suffered the heaviest damage.
Rodriguez said dozens of buildings have collapsed and that rescue teams are conducting intense searches. Most residents were at home observing the Battle of Carabobo national holiday when the quakes struck. Live video from a baseball game at the University of Caracas showed spectators rushing onto the field as the grandstand shook.
Rodriguez thanked the U.S. government for its messages of support and solidarity.
“We thank the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and his Government, who have been in constant contact with the Venezuelan authorities, providing support and solidarity to the people of Venezuela in the face of the tragedy that grips us.”
