VIDEO: Devastation in Venezuela: Twin Earthquakes Leave Hundreds Dead and La Guaira in Ruins

CARACAS — A catastrophic humanitarian crisis is unfolding in Venezuela after the country was struck by two powerful, back-to-back earthquakes.The disaster has left at least 235 people dead, over 4,300 injured, and thousands more trapped under pancaked buildings.A Century-Level DisasterThe earthquakes hit in rapid succession within 40 seconds of each other. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) registered the first shock at a magnitude of 7.2, closely followed by a massive 7.5 magnitude mainshock. This marks the strongest seismic event to strike the country in more than 125 years.La Guaira Named a "Disaster Zone"The northern coastal state of La Guaira bore the brunt of the destruction. Aerial footage and satellite images circulated on X (formerly Twitter) show total devastation, with over 100 buildings completely leveled. More than 70,000 families in the state have been directly affected.Key national infrastructure has also been crippled:The Simón Bolívar International Airport in La Guaira suffered critical structural damage and remains closed.Major hospitals are overwhelmed and forced to treat patients in outdoor tents.Widespread power and telecommunication outages are severely hindering rescue efforts.Emergency Response UnderwayActing President Delcy Rodríguez has declared a national state of emergency. International aid is beginning to flood the region, with search-and-rescue teams arriving from the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. However, emergency workers face a brutal race against time during the critical 72-hour window to pull survivors from the rubble as secondary aftershocks continue to rock the region.