Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas suspended flight operations on Wednesday after two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, causing damage to airport facilities and disrupting air traffic.
According to local reports, parts of the terminal ceiling collapsed after earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude struck less than a minute apart. The epicenters were located near the Venezuelan coast northwest of Caracas.
Flight tracking data showed no arrivals or departures from the airport following the earthquakes. Several evening flights scheduled to land in Caracas were either diverted or canceled as the airport remained closed.
Among the affected services were Turkish Airlines flight TK233 from Istanbul, scheduled to arrive at 9:20 p.m., along with flights operated by Conviasa, Avior Airlines, Copa Airlines and Avianca from destinations including Havana, Medellín, Bogotá and Panama City.
Some aircraft were diverted to airports in neighboring countries, including Colombia, while airlines suspended additional services until the condition of the airport could be assessed.
The closure affects Venezuela’s main international gateway, which handles most long-haul passenger traffic to and from the country. Authorities have not announced when flight operations will resume.
The earthquakes were felt across much of northern Venezuela and neighboring Colombia, with reports of damage to buildings in Caracas. Emergency crews were deployed to inspect infrastructure and assess the impact of the twin earthquakes.
