According to U.S. Geological Survey data, the epicenter of the first quake, which had a magnitude of 7.2, was roughly 100 miles west of the capital in Caracas. The second, which followed in under a minute and had a magnitude of 7.5, was located just under four miles east, about 19 miles away from the coastal town of Morón.
Much of the damage hit the coastal state of La Guaira.
In the aftermath of the quakes, world leaders extended condolences and offers of support.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who backed Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez’s rule after forcibly ousting Nicolás Maduro in January, referred to the tragedy as “devastating.” He said the United States “stands ready, willing, and able” to help its “new and great friends.”
The State Department has since pledged $150 million in humanitarian assistance as part of its “robust” response.
The U.N.’s International Organization for Migration estimates, based on the latest available population and damage projections, that as many as 6.8 million people could be impacted by the twin quakes.
