Desperate Venezuelans fought 25th June to save their loved ones who were buried alive under the debris of collapsed buildings from the effects of two big earthquakes that have killed at least 188 people in the country.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) recorded two quakes reaching magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 in northern Venezuela within one minute of one another on Wednesday night, causing buildings to crack and crumble, and some residents to run into the streets.

Rescue offers and aid came in as the National Assembly’s president, Jorge Rodriguez, revealed the death toll had jumped to 188 and there were 1,520 injured. 

Powerful aftershocks could still be felt on Thursday.

The state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, took a hard hit with residents wading through debris, yelling for the names of loved ones, and in some cases, making futile attempts to save the wounded.

“There’s a place where a young woman called Jennifer, from the 11th floor, answers me, but we don’t have any tools, we don’t have any means to help,” said Antonio Bermudez, who had his building collapse in La Guaira.

A man and his son, who were using a pickaxe and a crowbar on the debris, were trying to access two of his other sons, Bermudez said.

“They’re still alive… There’s nothing we can do more than that… we’re telling them not to strain their voices to take short breaths, we are hoping at least the three of them who are there will be rescued.”

The coastal city was without any electricity, and many people spent the night in the streets or looking for their relatives.

“Thank God that… People are still living, but people now are trapped with their family members; there are some people now trapped under the rubble or pinned down, so that they can’t get them out.”

US government pledge $150 million in aid

The interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, visited the town of La Guaira on Thursday following the decision that the place is a “disaster zone”.

The international body promised to help Venezuela as UN chief Antonio Guterres expressed his “deep sadness” over the disaster.

The strongest quake to hit Venezuela in 126 years will require “massive collective efforts”, UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement.

The international airport in La Guaira has been closed due to the serious damage sustained, which threatens to complicate relief efforts.

A wide variety of offers of assistance arrived from different countries, including Switzerland, Spain, France, Portugal and Mexico, which sent specialists and teams of rescuers to Venezuela.

China, India, Brazil and even war-stricken Iran have also expressed assistance and the Pope, Leo XIV, initially sent 100,000 euros of aid to the country.

The United States on Thursday mobilised $150 million in aid. The package would include $50 million in new bilateral grants to help existing groups operating in Venezuela and a $100 million contribution to a fund created by the United Nations for humanitarian needs in Venezuela.

After the US took over and arrested Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro in January, Washington has been closely involved in the country’s oil-rich region.

Tremors felt in Colombia, Brazil

Venezuela’s northern coast is located at the boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, but hasn’t seen a big quake since 1997, when 73 people were killed.

In 1967, there was another earthquake that claimed 236 lives.

The 7.5-magnitude quake was the strongest since a 7.7-magnitude offshore tremor on Oct. 29, 1900.

The tremor was registered in all parts of Colombia, and buildings were evacuated in Bogota as a precaution.

The country’s seismic monitoring network also reported tremors in a number of cities in the north of Brazil.

Scenes of panic and destruction played out in the capital, Caracas, after the quakes.