A powerful sequence of earthquakes struck near the Caribbean coast of Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, triggering tsunami warnings and advisories across the region.

Multiple videos geolocated by CNN from the coastal town of Catia La Mar, in La Guaira, showed multiple collapsed buildings and clouds of smoke.

La Guaira is home to one of the country’s largest seaports and Simon Bolivar International Airport, which serves the capital Caracas.

Video filmed inside the airport as the earthquakes struck showed scenes of panicked people running amid rubble and dust. The airport has since been shut. 

Significant structural degradation and operational disruptions have been reported at the main Simon Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetia. 

A Venezuelan former lawmaker at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia city, which serves the capital Caracas, captured scenes of panic and destruction as a massive temblor shook the terminal.

“It’s shaking. Look at what Maiquetia Airport looks like while we’re here inside,” said Wilmer Azuaje while he walked and filmed around the airport, as seen in footage released by Reuters.

“Look at the disaster here, completely destroyed. Look at it after the earthquake. Look at how everything ended up. Everyone, the situation we’re experiencing here is serious.”

The video showed people running and several areas inside the airport covered in rubble and dust, with damaged ceilings.

Venezuela has declared a state of emergency, and the airport has been shut down. 

According to the latest technical data from the US Geological Survey (USGS), an extraordinary double-seismic sequence violently rocked northern Venezuela. Seismologists confirmed that a massive 7.2 foreshock first struck near the municipality of San Felipe, the capital of the Yaracuy state. Merely 40 seconds later, an even more catastrophic 7.5 main shock occurred just southeast of Yumare.

The mainshock was the largest recorded earthquake to strike Venezuela and the strongest in over 125 years.

According to the USGS, the seismic event occurred at a depth of roughly 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), with its epicenter located just west of the coastal community of Moron. The violent tremors heavily shook the capital city of Caracas, causing the destruction of several buildings​​​​​​​.

Civil defense authorities are currently deploying to the hardest-hit areas near the epicenter to evaluate infrastructure damage.

Videos circulating on social media captured thick dust columns rising above commercial sectors in the capital as structures cracked and shed concrete facades. Emergency personnel are actively searching damaged rubble for trapped or injured citizens.

A tsunami threat warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) for the immediate coast of Venezuela as well as the neighboring islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao.

The National Weather Service activated a tsunami advisory for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, and authorities are actively monitoring coastal tide gauges for unusual wave activity.

https://www.facebook.com/anadoluagencyenglish/videos/-venezuela-declares-state-of-emergency-after-powerful-72-and-75-magnitude-earthq/1378964867432564/?mibextid=wwXIfr&rdid=hjZVduCs1SohzSpQ

Source: AA/CNN