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Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, toppling buildings in the capital Caracas and trapping people under the rubble, as reported by Dawn. A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

Thousands of Venezuelans were feared dead on Thursday after the quakes wreaked havoc in and around Caracas, setting off powerful aftershocks, Dawn reported.

Coverage Comparison

Dawn's initial report focused on the earthquake event itself, citing the USGS for the magnitude and location, and describing the impact on Caracas. A subsequent Dawn article emphasized the human toll, quoting officials and witnesses, and using more urgent language.

Key Claims

  • A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, as reported by Dawn, citing the USGS.
  • Powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, toppling buildings in the capital Caracas, trapping people in the rubble, as reported by Dawn.
  • Thousands of Venezuelans were feared dead after two powerful earthquakes wreaked havoc in and around the capital Caracas, as reported by Dawn.
  • Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said at least 164 people were confirmed dead and nearly 1,000 injured, as reported by Dawn.
  • A website set up to track missing people listed more than 24,000 people as unaccounted for, as reported by Dawn.
  • The USGS predicted the death toll would most likely run into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000, as reported by Dawn.
The worst-affected area was La Guaira state, near Caracas and home to the city's airport, according to Dawn. Witnesses' footage showed scenes of panic as ceilings came down in the airport and rubble from destroyed buildings along the seafront.

Rescue efforts were underway, with emergency workers scrambling over the debris of collapsed buildings in Caracas as night fell, while distraught relatives sought help for loved ones feared trapped, Dawn reported. Dazed survivors were taken away, some on stretchers.

Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on state television that the government was working with business to deploy heavy machinery to accelerate efforts to help those still trapped. "Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save," she said, as quoted by Dawn. "La Guaira state is a true tragedy, and has become a disaster zone."

Witnesses described the scene. "When we went downstairs, the scene was like a horror movie," Maria Alejandra, a resident from a nearby building who did not give her surname, told Dawn. "We had to climb over the rubble and everything. The building superintendent with the baby and all the neighbors coming down. But from that building, I only saw that one family got out."

Houses collapsed near the quake's epicenter in Morn, a small seaside town in the state of Carabobo, according to Dawn.

The international community has been sending aid and rescue teams, as reported by Dawn.