Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela near Caracas on June 24, 2026, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude within about one minute of each other, causing severe destruction and casualties [1, 2, 3, 4]. The first quake hit near San Felipe at 18:04 local time, followed 39 seconds later by the stronger 7.5-magnitude tremor near Yumare [3, 4].
The shaking toppled dozens of buildings, forced airport closures, and led the government to declare a national emergency [1, 2, 5, 4]. Acting President Jorge Rodriguez said, "We have declared a state of emergency, and foreign rescue teams will soon arrive in Venezuela" [2]. At least 164 to 188 people had died by June 25, with injuries ranging from 700 to 1,500 [1, 6, 7, 4]. Initial death reports had been 32 [1, 2]. Many remain missing or trapped under rubble, with some unverified estimates of over 46,000 missing [6].
The earthquakes occurred along complex fault lines near the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, involving multiple faults such as El Guayabo and Moron [3]. Shallow depths between 10 and 22 km and soft sediment geology amplified the shaking and damage [3]. More than 138 aftershocks had been recorded by June 25 [7, 4].
Venezuela suffered extensive infrastructure damage including hospitals, diplomatic buildings, and many homes [6, 7, 8]. A retired woman who survived a 1967 quake said, "This earthquake is worse than 1967" [4].
International aid began arriving on June 25. The US deployed two specialized urban search and rescue teams, military ships, planes, and helicopters with over $150 million pledged in aid. Secretary of State Rubio said, "During this difficult time, the US stands with the Venezuelan people; we are deploying rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance" [9, 10]. US War Secretary Hegseis added, "Our mission is clear to save lives and get crucial aid to those in need quickly" [10]. China said it had no reports of Chinese citizen casualties and was ready to provide aid, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun, who said, "China is willing to provide appropriate assistance as needed" [1, 11]. India, Mexico, Brazil, the EU, and other countries also sent aid teams and supplies [9, 10, 11, 4].
In a separate event on June 25, a 7.2-magnitude quake struck off Iwate, Japan, causing four injuries but no tsunami risk [5, 12].
Rescue and aid efforts in Venezuela are ongoing following the back-to-back earthquakes on June 24. Authorities continue to assess damage and search for survivors amid aftershocks and infrastructure challenges [2, 6, 7].
