Venezuela hit by two strong earthquakes, USGS fears high casualties
Venezuela has been hit by two back-to-back powerful earthquakes around 06:04-06:05 PM local time Wednesday June 24, 2026 leaving many buildings razed to ground.
Caracas: Venezuela has been hit by two back-to-back powerful earthquakes around 06:04-06:05 PM local time Wednesday June 24, 2026 leaving many buildings razed to ground.
The twin earthquakes originated in Yaracuy state, about 160 km west of capital Caracas, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The first, a magnitude 7.2 quake, struck at a depth of 22 km, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 quake at a depth of about 10 km.
Although the epicenters were outside the capital, the tremors were felt across Caracas and much of central and western Venezuela, including the states of Carabobo, Miranda, La Guaira and Trujillo.
Tremors were also reported in neighboring Colombia and as far away as Brazil’s Amazon region, more than 1,700km (1,050 miles) from Caracas.
Most of the Venezuelans were at home when the earthquakes struck as Wednesday was declared a public holiday to mark the decisive 1821 battle in Venezuela's war of independence from Spain.
Venezuela Earthequake Death Toll
The government has officially confirmed 32 deaths and over 700 injured people.
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) however warned "high casualties and extensive damage are probable."
According to the latest USGS assessments, there is a 39 percent probability that fatalities could be anywhere between 1,000 and 10,000, and a 37 percent chance they could even touch 1,00,000.
US President Donald Trump also said that the quakes, some of the strongest the region has seen in over a century, have caused "a devastating number of deaths."
Rescue operations underway
Rescue operations are underway, and residents have been advised to move to safer areas. The authorities have announced suspension of classes across Venezuela, and decided to use school premises as emergency shelters.
Visuals shared online show buildings collapsing in parts of the country's capital including the Los Palos Grandes sector, Playa Grande and La Guaira. The renowned Hotel Edward of La Guaira has also repotedly collapsed and razed to ground. The Simón Bolívar International Airport has also been affected and shut following the earthquake.
Hundreds of injured people are seen rushing towards public hospitals seeking medical attention in the locality of La Guaira. Medical staff have been overwhelmed by the number of patients.
Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency in the country after the deadly earthquake.
Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) said it has mobilised its main satellite-based Earth-monitoring system, the Copernicus Programme, for Venezuela’s recovery efforts.
Venezuela urged to allow media access
The UN has called on Venezuelan authorities to urgently lift restrictions on access to media outlets, saying the ability to receive information will soon become “a matter of life and death”.
“It is crucial that a full commitment to human rights guide all aspects of the national and international response to this immense tragedy,” said a statement by the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Venezuela’s telecommunications regulator, CONATEL, should take the first step to fully unblock “access to social media and all media outlets”, the UN fact-finding mission to Venezuela said.
“In the coming hours and days access to information will be a matter of life and death. There can be no excuse for failing to do so immediately”, the UN body said.
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