Journalist Nicole Kolster was at home in Caracas when her apartment started shaking violently. She said, "I saw the windows moving, and the only thing I could think to do was to get between the front door and a stone wall to try to protect myself."
Two earthquakes hit the city seconds apart on Wednesday, the first at a magnitude of 7.2 and the second 7.5. Photographs show collapsed buildings and people gathered on the streets, but the full extent of death and damage is still unknown.
"It was the strongest quake I've ever felt in my life," Kolster told BBC Mundo. "It was so strong that I thought the building was going to fall on top of me."
Kolster stayed wedged between the front door and a stone wall before neighbors called to evacuate. "An hour after the quake everyone is still outside waiting for safety in case there's an aftershock," she says.
The blasts struck on a national holiday commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, explaining why many people were at home despite it being a weekday.
Testimony from other residents echoed Kolster’s fear. Maria Elise noted cracked walls, while Coro Martinez recalled the terrifying 1967 quake, and Maria Romero compared the current tremor to that earlier disaster.
The historic 1967 6.6‑magnitude quake already killed more than 200 people, destroying buildings in Palos Grandes and Altamira. Residents today describe the shake as even louder and more destructive.
Rescue workers continue to scour rubble while authorities monitor for aftershocks. The city’s infrastructure is already hampered by fallen utility poles and disrupted power and communications. The true toll remains unclear as the nation remains on high alert.
