Two powerful earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 shook northern Venezuela near San Felipe and Yumare on the evening of 24 June 2026, hitting about 40 seconds apart [1, 2, 3]. The quakes severely damaged Caracas and coastal areas including La Guaira, where infrastructure and homes suffered significant destruction [1, 2, 4, 3, 5, 6]. At least 164 people were reported killed and around 900 injured, though some early estimates placed the death toll at 32 and injuries near 700 [1, 7, 8, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9].
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez declared a nationwide state of emergency late on 24 June and designated La Guaira a disaster zone to focus response efforts [2, 4, 6]. The quakes triggered tsunami warnings along Venezuela’s coast adding to concerns over the damage [1, 4, 9, 7, 8]. Cuban health workers were already providing medical aid on the scene by 25 June [1, 4].
International response has been swift. US President Donald Trump pledged "rapid and comprehensive US assistance," stating, "The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all federal agencies to get ready to move quickly" [1, 10, 3, 6]. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Defense Department will play a key logistical role given its ability to operate in challenging locations, describing the effort as "big, fast, and effective" [1, 11].
Numerous countries and regional leaders expressed condolences and offered aid including Cuba, Iran, Mexico, Brazil, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland, India, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Jordan [1, 4, 5, 12, 9, 7, 6, 8]. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended "heartfelt condolences" and said India stands ready to help [5]. Russian President Vladimir Putin conveyed "solidarity and support" to Venezuela [9]. China said it is prepared to provide assistance based on Venezuela’s needs [12].
The United Nations is mobilizing humanitarian aid and urban search and rescue teams to support Venezuela's response, with the UN Humanitarian Country Team working closely with the government and partners [8].
Emergency efforts continue to focus on rescue, medical aid, and restoring critical infrastructure. The government and international teams are coordinating operations as the situation develops following the twin quakes.
