A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck about 160km west of Caracas on Wednesday evening. Less than a minute later a magnitude 7.5 tremor occurred, the strongest tremor since 1900, according to the US Geological Survey.
After the powerful earthquakes struck areas in and around Caracas, hundreds of people were trapped under the rubble with many more being unaccounted for.
The earthquake devastated the areas by killing hundred of people and leaving thousands homeless as their houses were destroyed by the earthquakes.
According to RTE, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado did not give an exact number of casualties, however it has been confirmed that 235 people have died.
As the tremors occurred in the span of eight hours, users online speculated whether they were related. However experts have confirmed that they were not.
Speaking on the devastating earthquakes, William Barnhart, assistant coordinator for the US Geological Survey told The Journal: "Earthquakes happen every day all over the world. Most of them happen far from people. Yesterday was just a very peculiar day where you had a couple of fairly significant earthquakes happen in areas where people felt them.”
La Guaira, the coastal state and home to the capitals airport was among the hardest hit. President Rodriguez said that the government is workingb with private companies to help speed up rescues as he stated that "it has become a disaster zone."
Yamileth Jimenez, a resident of La Guaira city, told RTE, that her son was still trapped under the rubble of their apartment building. "He's under the slabs and there's no machinery to get him out," she said.
The US Geological Survey has predicted that the death toll is likely to rise into the thousands, with a probability of it exceeding 10,000.
At least eight hospitals, the headquaters of the Venezuelan Red Cross and the French embassy were all reported to be badly damaged after the earthquakes.
