‘High casualties’ feared as powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela
Regina Garcia Cano and Juan Pablo Arraez
Updated June 25, 2026 — 11:36am,first published 10:04am
Caracas: Powerful back-to-back earthquakes have struck Venezuela, toppling buildings in the capital, Caracas, trapping people in the rubble and prompting scientists to warn of potentially heavy casualties and widespread destruction.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 kilometres west of Caracas on Wednesday afternoon (Caracas time), followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” the USGS said, initially estimating the death toll would most likely range from 10,000 to 100,000.
In a brief address to the nation, Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said the earthquakes caused damage in several states, with La Guaria the hardest hit, and declared a state of emergency.
She later said at least 32 people had been killed and 700 injured and warned the toll was expected to rise as rescuers searched collapsed buildings and emergency crews reached devastated areas.
“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.”
US President Donald Trump said the twin earthquakes had “left a devastating number of deaths”, without citing any official casualty figures.
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good,” he said on Truth Social.
Video footage showed emergency workers climbing through the ruins of a collapsed building in the capital as night fell, while distraught relatives sought help for loved ones believed to be trapped.
Strong earthquakes west of the city of Caracas have damaged buildings in Caracas and prompted warnings of potentially heavy casualties and widespread destruction.
Three people were killed in the Baruta district in Caracas after two buildings collapsed, the district mayor said on social media. One person was killed and four buildings had completely collapsed, Gustavo Duque, the mayor of Chacao district in Caracas told journalists. Twenty-two people had been moved to hospital.
Rodríguez said Venezuela’s main international airport, Maiquetia, had been closed due to “serious damage”. Social media footage showed people at the airport fleeing as the quakes struck. Subway and natural gas services in Caracas were cancelled.
She asked all health care professionals in the country to report to hospitals to assist anyone who was injured. The Ministry of Education said some schools would be used as shelters and donation centres. Classes have been cancelled for several days.
The Venezuela quakes were followed almost immediately by a 6.9-magnitude quake in northern Japan, which rattled buildings in Tokyo. The US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued tsunami alerts for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said as well as Caracas, states including Trujillo, Carabobo, Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira had been affected.
Twenty-two people were injured in the coastal state of Falcon, Governor Victor Clark said on state television. Fifteen missing people, all adults, were still being searched for.
People evacuated swaying buildings in the capital and remained outside, many visibly shocked as they saw entire walls that had collapsed, making furniture visible from the street. Dust columns could also be seen in two Caracas districts where restaurants and other businesses are typically busy.
According to the BBC, June 24 is a public holiday in Venezuela, meaning more people than usual may have been at home when the quakes struck.
Josefina Hernández, 48, an administrator from Valencia, west of Caracas, told The New York Times she heard a deafening noise before the electricity went out and everything inside her home started moving.
“You tried to run, and you couldn’t,” she said. “People were frantic, screaming – I mean, it was terrifying because people were just pouring out, saying, ‘What is this?’”
Cabello urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could cause further damage and told motorists to clear roads for 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.
“Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed.”
The USGS said many people in the affected area lived in buildings made of unreinforced brick masonry and adobe block construction, which were vulnerable to earthquakes.
Some older residents said the quakes brought back memories of the massive 1967 earthquake that killed more than 200 people in Caracas.
There were no immediate reports of damage to Venezuela’s oil facilities, according to people familiar with the situation.
The country’s refining hub in Paraguana, 225 kilometres west of the epicentre, continued operations as usual. Work at the Port of Jose complex and at the Puerto La Cruz refinery was unaffected, one of the persons said.
The disaster will further strain the nation’s crisis-hit economy. The country is reeling from one of the world’s fastest inflation rates and rolling power outages.
President Nicolás Maduro was captured in a raid on Caracas by US forces in January, leaving the government in a state of transition.
https://www.theage.com.au/world/south-america/back-to-back-powerful-earthquakes-hit-venezuela-collapsing-buildings-in-caracas-20260625-p609yw.html