Venezuela Earthquake Survivor Slept in His Car After Buildings Collapsed in 'Terrifying' Disaster: 'I Thought I Was Going to Die'

At least 188 people had died as a result of the June 24 earthquakes, officials said

NEED TO KNOW

• Billy Ebrin, a survivor of the two earthquakes that shook Venezuela on June 24, says he was too afraid to return to his home after the disaster
• Acting President Delcy Rodríguez previously said “dozens” of buildings had collapsed as a result of the powerful quakes
• “I thought I was going to die,” Ebrin recalled, having taken shelter under a doorframe while the catastrophe struck

Survivors of Venezuela's back-to-back earthquakes are beginning to share their harrowing experiences in the wake of the deadly disaster.

Among them is Billy Ebrin, who told Al Jazeera on Thursday, June 25, that he spent the night in his car because he was too afraid to return to his seventh-floor apartment in Caracas, which was rocked by the catastrophe.

Many buildings collapsed in the region as a result of the quakes on Wednesday, June 24, which struck the Caracas area and measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

“It was all terrifying,” Ebrin said.

Ebrin said his three dogs hid under beds while he sheltered under a doorframe during the quakes, according to Al Jazeera.

“I thought I was going to die,” he recalled. “You could hear pieces of concrete breaking off the walls,” he said.

Afterward, Ebrin said he raced to the ground floor and saw hundreds of people running from other nearby buildings. Some people, he noted, were even in their underwear.

“People were bumping into each other in the confusion: elderly people, people carrying their pets, even squirrels and parrots,” Ebrin explained.

Officials said at least 188 people had died as a result of the earthquakes, according to the Associated Press.

Another 1,500 people were injured, and more than 200 others were trapped following the quakes, they added.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez previously described the situation in a televised address as a “true tragedy” and a “disaster zone." She also noted that “dozens” of buildings had collapsed.

In a statement shared on X, Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado warned that "every hour counts" following the tragedy.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

U.S. Secretary of State Mark Rubio also shared his "deepest condolences to the people of Venezuela" on the social media platform.

"Our hearts are with all those who have lost loved ones, those injured, and the courageous rescue workers working tirelessly in the aftermath," Rubio wrote on June 25.

Read the full article here