Here's the latest
• Deadly quakes: At least 164 people have been killed and 971 injured after Venezuela’s most powerful earthquake in more than a century, according to the country’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez. The 7.5 magnitude quake struck 39 seconds after a 7.2 magnitude foreshock. Track what we know in maps and charts.
• Capital in crisis: A resident who survived a quake that hit Caracas in 1967 said the disaster was unlike anything he had experienced. Another resident who escaped a damaged building said “the scene was like a horror movie.”
• Rescue effort: The search for survivors in the rubble is underway, while millions of Venezuelans living abroad scramble to contact loved ones. The US sent rescue teams and other resources, according to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who also said the country’s main airport is “badly damaged.”
• Economic blow: The disaster comes at a dire time for Venezuela, which is deep in a political and financial crisis.
What the Supreme Court's ruling on TPS could mean for Venezuelans impacted by the quakes
The Supreme Court’s decision on Temporary Protected Status on Thursday comes against the backdrop of twin quakes in Venezuela that have left at least 164 people dead and more than 900 injured.
It’s those types of natural disasters that, in previous years, the Department of Homeland Security secretary would consider in deciding whether Venezuelans already in the US should be extended deportation protections through TPS.
Haiti’s TPS designation, for example, originally stemmed from a 7.0-magnitude earthquake in 2010. At the time, DHS determined Haitian nationals already in the US should be granted temporary protections from being sent back to their origin country, given country conditions. That relief has been extended, given country conditions, until being terminated by the Trump administration.
Former DHS Secretary Kristi Noem moved to terminate TPS for Venezuelans in the United States. As of Thursday, DHS, which is now led by Secretary Markwayne Mullin, is not planning to reverse course and extend protections to Venezuelans in the US in the wake of this week’s earthquakes, according to a US official.
Relatives wait anxiously in Caracas as rescuers work to find their missing loved ones
CNN’s Osmary Hernandez is in the Los Palos Grandes neighborhood in east Caracas, where rescue efforts are underway after powerful earthquakes shook Venezuela on Wednesday.
People are waiting anxiously as rescue teams try to clear debris and locate the missing in a damaged building.
At least four young men are still unaccounted for from one apartment block, their relatives told CNN that they have not heard from them for hours.
Many people spent the night outside in public squares fearing their apartment buildings could collapse.
Volunteers join rescue efforts to find those still trapped in rubble
In a race against time, the priority in Venezuela at this hour is to rescue people who remain trapped under the rubble following the strong earthquakes that shook the region this Wednesday.
In addition to members of the public forces working on the search and rescue operation, various organizations and even civilian volunteers have joined the efforts.
Speaking with Venezuelan public television (VTV), a university student recounted how, together with other classmates, they are helping to remove debris in the parish of San Bernadino. Standing atop the remains of a building, the young man called on the entire community to support the rescue efforts.
"Like in a movie": Caracas resident recalls deadly earthquake
Hours of silence from loved ones sparked fears of the worst for CNN’s Isa Soares after the devastating twin earthquakes in Venezuela. Messages have since come through confirming the safety of friends on the ground, though they said they were deeply shaken by the experience.
Hear a firsthand testimony from Cleveland Cartaya, who described the moment the earthquake struck to CNN:
"People are trapped... missing," man who lost house to quake tells CNN
A man who lost his home as deadly back-to-back earthquakes tore through his neighborhood on Wednesday night has expressed gratitude for the safe evacuation of his family amid the chaos.
“All the buildings from the area I live collapsed,” Edury Orellana explained to CNN. “Thank God all my family could evacuate unharmed, everyone could leave the buildings unharmed,” he said. Orellana lives in the coastal city of La Guaira, not far from the capital of Caracas.
But not all were able to escape the destruction ushered in by the colossal quakes, which killed at least 164 people in the country, a toll that is expected to rise. Many, Orellana stressed, remain stuck beneath debris, or have so far gone unaccounted for.
“There are so many families that have been affected, they are still rescuing people, people that are trapped,” he said, adding: “People that are missing.”
The entire state of La Guaira has been declared a disaster zone, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said. It is home to one of the country’s largest seaports and Simon Bolivar International Airport, which serves the capital Caracas.
United Nations emergency relief chief Tom Fletcher described the earthquakes as “devastating” in a statement released shortly after the disaster hit.
“I’m in close contact with our team in Caracas to ensure full and urgent response, including search and rescue support and emergency relief for survivors,” he said. “International solidarity coming in. We’ll need all hands on deck.”
Rescuers scamble to top of partially collapsed building in Playa Grande
Rescuers could be seen climbing to the top of a partially collapsed building in Playa Grande, in the hard-hit state of La Guaira, on Thursday to search for survivors of the two earthquakes that devastated the region.
A person watching from the ground gasped as a loose piece of debris gave way from under one of the rescuers’ feet – and clapping could be heard when they safely reached the top.
Mexico deploying rescuers and medical personnel to Venezuela, Sheinbaum says
The president of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced the deployment of a team of rescuers and health personnel from the Secretariat of National Defense (Defense) to support Venezuela.
“Our solidarity with the people of Venezuela. Today, a team from the Secretariat of National Defense of rescuers and health personnel is departing,” said the president during her morning press conference.
Sheinbaum also confirmed that the first contingent of aid is already on its way and explained that the Mexican personnel will assess needs on the ground in coordination with Venezuelan authorities before deciding on a possible reinforcement of the humanitarian mission.
“Once they are there and have spoken with the authorities, we will determine tomorrow any additional personnel needed in order to always help the peoples who need it,” she stated.
Mexico’s Foreign Ministry reported on Wednesday that no Mexican citizens had been reported affected by the earthquake.
At least 25 people have died in Caracas after the earthquakes
At least 25 people have died in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas after the two earthquakes on Wednesday, according to Mayor Carmen Meléndez.
This figure is part of the 164 deaths reported nationwide by acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
Meléndez indicated that rescuers are still searching through rubble for people whose whereabouts are unknown.
In La Guaira, Venezuelans describe trapped neighbors and a sleepless night on the streets
In Venezuela’s coastal state of La Guaira, which suffered the most damage in the two massive earthquakes that hit on Wednesday, residents described a sleepless night and neighbors who are still trapped after scores of apartment blocks suffered extensive damage.
“We felt the jolt, so to speak — the start of the earthquake. And it was very strong … we gathered out here and saw all the damage,” local resident José Terraza, 68, told journalists on the ground working on behalf of CNN.
The buildings across the way from his home in Playa Grande collapsed, but his apartment building is still standing. Residents still spent the long night outside, though, with whatever belongings they managed to grab.
From the ground outside another high-rise apartment building in Playa Grande, local resident Carlos Baez could see his neighbor trapped and shouted at her to wave a red rag if she was OK. The neighbor was able to wave back from the rubble of a mid-level floor, but no rescue crew has reached her yet.
Video filmed by CNN’s team on the ground shows other residents standing outside their houses, now resting on a 45-degree angle. The sounds of people crying could be heard from the sidewalks in some hard-hit areas, as emergency responders work to access crumbling buildings and trapped residents.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared the state of La Guaira a disaster zone, saying late on Wednesday night that “the situation in La Guaira is a true tragedy” as dozens of buildings there have collapsed.
CNN’s Helen Regan contributed to this report.
This post has been updated to reflect the location as Playa Grande, in La Guaira state.
Authorities request donations of drinking water and face masks, while calling for calm
Security forces in the worst affected area are asking the community for help with donations of face masks and drinking water, as rescue efforts continue following Wednesday’s back-to-back earthquakes.
Some schools and other public buildings have been set up as collection centers for emergency supplies. The Venezuelan Red Cross said the most urgently needed items are “emergency shelters for families whose homes were damaged or destroyed, and urgent medical care, including trauma care and psychosocial support,” as well as safe water, sanitation, and essential household items.
At the same time, Venezuelan authorities are calling for calm, asking the public to take precautions, and stay in their homes if they are structurally sound.
The mayor of the Chacao area of Caracas, Gustavo Duque Sáez, said 11 people had died and 23 people had been pulled alive from the rubble of at least three collapsed buildings. Machinery is being deployed to remove rubble to allow “moles” (rescue workers) access in search of more survivors.
Reporter recounts chaos after quake as Venezuelans try to contact family members
Loved ones have been unable to reach out to family and friends in the coastal city of La Guaira, a reporter based in Venezuela told CNN, following devastating earthquakes that hit the country on Wednesday.
“Friends of mine living abroad who have family in La Guaira were reaching out asking for help,” Noris Soto told CNN’s John Berman on “CNN News Central.”
“They are asking anybody with a social media account to help look for people because the connection and internet in La Guaira are completely severed,” she said. “People are not able to communicate.”
In Caracas: Soto, who was in Caracas during the earthquakes, recalled feeling as if “the ground was rolling” and hearing “a huge roar.”
In harder-hit areas of Caracas, people have been camping outside in public squares and on the streets, either because they are afraid to return to damaged buildings or because they have lost their homes, she said.
Shell says its employees in Venezuela are safe
Shell said its staff members in Venezuela are out of harm’s way after two massive earthquakes in the country.
“We have a handful of local employees in Venezuela, and we can confirm that all of them are safe and have been accounted for with no injuries,” a Shell spokesperson said.
Unlike Chevron – which also said its employees are accounted for – Shell doesn’t have considerable operations in Venezuela. But, like several oil giants, Shell has been exploring a move back into the oil-rich nation after the United States captured and removed President Nicolás Maduro in January.
Two weeks ago, Shell received a license to explore and drill offshore across two natural gas fields. The company is working with investors and the government to get final approvals but hasn’t made any conclusive decisions about either project.
It’s not clear whether the earthquakes will affect Venezuela’s energy exports.
"Everything is just really in disarray," Red Cross regional director says
Red Cross teams who were sent to areas in greater Caracas impacted by the powerful earthquakes said it was the worst situation they had ever seen, Red Cross Regional Director for the Americas Loyce Pace told CNN, adding that the organization had been operating in Venezuela for over 100 years.
Team members have themselves been directly affected by the disaster and some have lost their homes, Pace said, and the Red Cross headquarters is not habitable, meaning that some staff are displaced but are still continuing their work alongside government authorities.
“Frankly, the Venezuela Red Cross was already responding to this protracted crisis in Venezuela. It’s one of the reasons, though, we were ready and they were ready so we had prepositioned various supplies, whether they were hygiene kits or medical devices.”
For now, the focus remains on search and rescue operations, Pace said, adding that there were concerns that Venezuela’s infrastructure would not be able to withstand the severity of the crisis.
“Resources go a long way. We already have unlocked 2 million Swiss francs from the International Federation to immediately deploy for the purposes of this immediate response, but we know that there’s going to be more that’s required,” Pace said.
Anguish in Caracas neighborhood as residents plead for information about loved ones
The Los Palos Grandes area in eastern Caracas today is desolate.
Amid uncertainty and anguish, relatives of residents of buildings that collapsed after Wednesday’s strong earthquakes are waiting for news. Meanwhile, rescuers are working tirelessly to remove debris in the search of survivors.
During a tour of the area, one of the most impacted by Wednesday’s quakes, many residents were crying and pleading for information about their loved ones.
Some parts of the neighborhood have been restricted because the risk of buildings collapsing. Huge cracks are visible on some of them.
On the streets, there is debris, broken glass, furniture, mattresses and water jugs as people gather.
Here's what it looks like in Caracas this morning
A 14-floor building was leveled by the strong earthquakes that struck Venezuela late last night, journalist Mary Triny Mena reports. Authorities and neighbors have been working overnight to locate survivors throughout the capital city of Caracas.
Scale of destruction becoming clearer on morning after earthquake. Here’s the latest
The scale of the destruction wrought by two powerful back-to-back earthquakes which hit Venezuela’s northern coast yesterday is becoming clearer as rescue efforts continue and more images of affected areas emerge.
At least 164 people have died and 971 have been injured, the country’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez said this morning, a toll which has risen sharply, and is expected to increase further.
- Buildings destroyed: Multiple videos geolocated by CNN show extensive damage to buildings and infrastructure across Venezuela, including in the capital Caracas. The coastal state of La Guaira suffered the worst damage and has been declared a disaster zone – a waterfront hotel in the city of Macuto is among the dozens of buildings reduced to rubble.
- Daily life upended: Fearful of continuing aftershocks, thousands of Caracas residents left their homes and slept outdoors or in their cars overnight. Even life inside undamaged buildings presents challenges today – most homes are without drinking water, internet signal is weak and gas services were interrupted to prevent leaks and possible explosions.
- Scrambling to contact loved ones: Millions of Venezuelans living abroad have been frantically trying to contact loved ones – made even more difficult by the constant power cuts and internet blocks. One family in Colombia showed CNN’s Stefano Pozzebon their group chat: “Lissett and Anarella are alive, they are removing the debris around them,” wrote a relative from La Guaira. “Lissett has a broken leg but she’s been taken to hospital. They found them hugging under the rubble.”
- Infrastructure affected: School classes have been suspended, the Supreme Court of Justice canceled activities, metro and railway services are suspended and the Simón Bolívar International Airport, situated in the most damaged area, is closed. Some schools will serve as donation collection centers and emergency shelters, the education ministry said. Internet connectivity has also been greatly affected by the earthquake, and the state-run provider said internet, telephone and TV services will be free for 48 hours.
- Global response: Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US has deployed search and rescue teams and will provide assistance with “overhead imagery” to assess damage, particularly in coastal areas. Several European nations, including Italy, Spain, France and Switzerland, are also deploying specialist first responders to aid rescue efforts.
CNN’s Osmary Hernández, Lauren Kent, Duarte Mendonca, Kaanita Iyer, Sol Amaya, Gonzalo Zegarra and Stefano Pozzebon contributed reporting.
US traveler describes narrowly escaping being trapped in a Caracas mountain cable car
Jason Wang, who was visiting from the US, said he was “very fortunate” to have survived the earthquake in Caracas after narrowly avoiding getting trapped in a cable car on El Ávila mountain.
“I was next in line to go into the cable car right as the earthquake was happening,” Wang told CNN. “And then the building just started to shake.” He believes around 100 people may have been stuck in the cable cars overnight after the system shutdown.
Wang, 39, from Las Vegas, said roads down the mountain were blocked by landslides and fallen trees, with citizens using machetes to clear the way. He had to walk nearly six miles back to his hotel.
He described the moment the earthquake hit as “a blur,” saying his first thought was: survival. Throughout the night, he could still feel the shocks. “I woke up a couple times with the room shaking,” he added.
In the morning, he said Caracas seemed “somber and quiet,” with people sleeping outside in fear of aftershocks.
Watch the immediate aftermath after quakes rocked Caracas
A building collapsed and people ran through the streets of Caracas on Wednesday evening after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and 7.2 foreshock struck Venezuela.
A building collapses as people run through the street after a 7.5 magnitude earthquake and 7.2 foreshock struck Venezuela. At least 164 people have been killed and hundreds more injured.
Destruction seen from high-rise building in coastal city
This video shows a scene of rubble among high-rises in La Guaira, a Venezuelan port city.
The coastal state of La Guaira has been the hardest hit and declared a disaster zone, according to acting President Delcy Rodriguez. It is home to one of the country’s largest seaports and Simon Bolivar International Airport, which serves the capital Caracas.
Venezuelans abroad scramble to get information about loved ones
Millions of Venezuelans have left the country in recent years, amid the catastrophic economic collapse and the authoritarian rule of now-ousted leader Nicolás Maduro.
For those living abroad, the last few hours have been a frantic scramble on social media and messaging apps trying to get hold of their loved ones still in the country – made all too difficult by the constant power cuts and internet blocks impacting Venezuela.
But with the death toll expected to rise well beyond the 164 deaths already announced by the Venezuelan government, many families who have been spread across the Americas and beyond are left fearing the worse.
Civil society and citizens’ groups in the Venezuelan diaspora are stepping in to register reports of missing people and try to connect survivors with their loved ones abroad. One Twitter used based in Miami, Florida, has launched a public website for Venezuelans to register building damage or collapses. CNN cannot independently verify the reports, but there were more than 200 entries just twelve hours after the earthquakes hit.
Venezuelans living in Spain, Ecuador, Peru and Argentina have also told CNN they are struggling to get in contact with loved ones, with many still unaware of their relatives’ situation.
CNN’s Sol Amaya and Lauren Kent contributed to this report.
