Venezuela earthquakes kill 32, injure 700 as La Guaira becomes disaster zone

Caracas,UPDATED: Jun 25, 2026 11:50 IST

At least 32 people were killed and at least 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela shortly after 6 pm on Wednesday, Acting President Delcy Rodrguez said. She warned that the toll was expected to rise as rescuers searched collapsed buildings and emergency teams reached badly hit areas across the country.

Rodrguez declared a state of emergency late on Wednesday and said several states had suffered damage. The figures released early on Thursday did not include La Guaira, which she described as a “disaster zone” and the worst-hit area.

“Dozens of buildings have collapsed there, about 30 kilometres north of Caracas, and we are currently carrying out intensive rescue operations to save lives,” Rodrguez said. She added that Simón Bolvar Airport near Caracas, the country’s main airport, had been damaged and closed, while subway and natural gas services in the capital were cancelled. She urged people to report damage through a government app. School classes will be cancelled for several days, and the Ministry of Education said some school buildings would be used as shelters and donation centres. “We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodrguez said, asking health care professionals to report to hospitals to help the injured. “We urge unity.”

The US Geological Survey first said the first earthquake measured 7.1, before revising it to 7.2. Its epicentre was west of Morón on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 168 kilometres west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometres. A minute later, the USGS reported a second and stronger 7.5-magnitude earthquake, with a depth of 10 kilometres and an epicentre 16 kilometres southwest of Morón. In Falcon state, Governor Vctor Clark said 32 people had been hospitalised and 15 were trapped in the hours after the quakes.

The earthquakes, among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, were felt far beyond the country. Buildings were evacuated in cities across Venezuela, and the tremors were felt as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometres from Caracas. In Brazil, buildings in Manaus, Belem and Macapa were evacuated, according to TV Globo. The quakes were also felt in Colombia’s Caribbean and north-east regions, though there were no reports of damage or injuries there. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued several tsunami alerts after the earthquakes, but they were quickly lifted.

Television pictures on Thursday showed rescue workers using power tools on collapsed structures. In Caracas, people ran out of swaying buildings and later saw collapsed walls that exposed furniture from the street. Dust rose in two usually busy neighbourhoods with restaurants and other businesses. People stayed outside for hours, some sitting on the ground with pets as dust settled around them. Collapsed buildings, fallen electric poles and debris blocked streets, while parts of the capital lost power and cellphone signal.

“It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” Caracas resident Hector Ricci said. Another resident, Roberto Gamas, said the building he was in “really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong.” The loss of cellphone signal in parts of the country added to the anxiety of many families, especially among the more than 7.7 million Venezuelans who have left the country during its long crisis. Opposition leader Mara Corina Machado, who left Venezuela in December and is now in exile, wrote on X: “May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail among us in the face of this difficult time.”

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the earthquakes were felt in several states and asked motorists to give way to ambulances and other emergency vehicles. “We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said. He urged people to remain outside because aftershocks could cause more damage. “Be very careful with children and the elderly. Call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”

Offers of help came from the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay. US Secretary of State Rubio said on X that the United States was “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela”. Jeremy P. Lewin, the US undersecretary of state for foreign assistance, said the State Department had mobilised a disaster assistance team and task force to coordinate aid with the interim Venezuelan government. Rodrguez said on Thursday that Qatar had already sent rescuers who were expected in Venezuela the next day, along with rescue personnel from Mexico and El Salvador. El Salvador President Nayib Bukele wrote on X: “We send you all our solidarity and our prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela.” Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa said he had ordered the immediate delivery of humanitarian aid, adding, “Ecuador will respond with the speed and commitment this moment demands because, despite our enormous differences, humanity must always guide the actions of a leader.” Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz said his country stood ready to provide any help needed, while Brazil’s government expressed solidarity and said no Brazilians had been reported injured.

Strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela. Although the country lies near several fault lines, its position across the South American and Caribbean plates means such quakes are less common than in other parts of Latin America. Still, the twin earthquakes left multiple states damaged, disrupted transport and basic services, triggered rescue operations and international aid offers, and set off a wide emergency response as authorities warned the casualty toll could rise.

With PTI Inputs

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