Deadly earthquakes devastate Venezuela

VENEZUELA (HawaiiNewsNow) – Two powerful earthquakes have left more than 30 people dead and at least 700 others injured in Venezuela.

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The stronger of the two quakes — a magnitude 7.5 — struck about eight hours ago and is being described as the region’s most powerful earthquake in more than a century.

The earthquakes collapsed buildings in Caracas and caused widespread damage across parts of the country.

Hawaii chef Jurian Rojas, who has family in Venezuela, said many communities are struggling without emergency resources.

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“People don’t know where to go. There is no shelter in place. No help, no nothing,” Rojas said. “Especially when you live here and you see what happens. There’s a disaster like Maui fires, where there’s FEMA, police, National Guard everything comes together. Over there it’s empty, like crickets.”

Officials have declared the coastal state of La Guaira a disaster zone, and Caracas’ international airport has been temporarily closed.

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