Thousands feared dead in Venezuela after twin earthquakes flatten buildings

By — Stephanie Sy Stephanie Sy By — Daniel Okay Daniel Okay Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/thousands-feared-dead-in-venezuela-after-twin-earthquakes-flatten-buildings Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Transcript Audio The fight to rescue the stranded, care for the living and retrieve the dead accelerated in Venezuela after back-to-back major earthquakes centered near the capital, Caracas. The damage in places appears catastrophic and the U.S. Geological Survey estimates that a disaster of this scope may have killed as many as 10,000 people. Stephanie Sy reports. Read the Full Transcript Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors. Geoff Bennett: Welcome to the "News Hour." The fight to rescue the stranded, care for the living, and retrieve the dead accelerated today in Venezuela, following two major earthquakes that struck near the capital city of Caracas. The damage in places appears catastrophic. Amna Nawaz: The U.S. and other nations are mobilizing relief efforts to assist the government there. The Americans deposed and removed Venezuela's longtime leader in January. The initial death toll stands at nearly 200, but that number is expected to rise sharply. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that a disaster of this scope may have killed as many as 10,000 people. Stephanie Sy begins our coverage. Stephanie Sy: The earth is still shaking, and this man calls out for his mother, filming himself and the immediate panic that breaks out when the ground beneath his neighborhood gives way. At Simon Bolivar International Airport, debris crashed down on travelers, the violent tremor destroying this section of the terminal. In La Guaira, the hardest-hit state, homes in this densely populated coastal community rendered to their foundations, ceilings turned into floors. Back-to-back earthquakes, the strongest in more than a century, hit northern Venezuela close to the capital, Caracas, Wednesday afternoon, a 7.2-magnitude quake, and less than a minute later a stronger 7.5 striking the same spot, leaving the land and its people devastated. This mother of three was separated from her 8-year-old. Dayana Delgado, La Guaira, Venezuela, Resident (through interpreter): I'm desperate. I just want to know where my son is, whether he's trapped or at a shelter. I'm desperate. Stephanie Sy: This man says he lost everything, his apartment, his vehicles, and possibly neighbors. Cristian Carreno, La Guaira, Venezuela Resident (through interpreter): I imagine there were people trapped inside who couldn't get out. It was devastating. Thank God we're alive. Stephanie Sy: A state of emergency has been declared across the country. With thousands reported missing, rescue teams are searching for signs of life, people, and, yes, pets. This eyewitness video captures panicked voices beneath the rubble calling out to rescuers. The n