Deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela kill at least 32, injure 700

A magnitude 7.2 foreshock and a magnitude 7.5 mainshock struck Venezuela 39 seconds apart on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, killing at least 32 people and injuring about 700. Venezuela declared a state of emergency as rescuers raced to reach collapsed buildings and battered infrastructure.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said the death toll stood at 32. In a video message posted Thursday, June 25, she thanked the Trump administration for “support and solidarity” and said the Dominican Republic had sent rescue teams. China and Brazil sent humanitarian aid, and Qatar prepared a rescue brigade to arrive the same day.

The stronger quake was centered near Morón and San Felipe in north-central Venezuela, about 160 kilometers west of Caracas, and it was the largest to hit Venezuela or just offshore since the 1900 San Narciso earthquake. The tremors were felt beyond Venezuela’s borders, including in Bogotá, Colombia.

Damage was concentrated in and around the capital and across the north-central belt. Buildings collapsed in Caracas and nearby areas, power lines fell, and the country’s main airport in Caracas was damaged. The worst-affected regions included Miranda, La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo and Falcón.

President Donald Trump said the United States was “ready, willing, and able to help,” and the State Department mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force with search-and-rescue support, medical supplies and humanitarian resources. The U.S. Geological Survey's PAGER system issued two consecutive red alerts, estimating a 41 percent probability that fatalities could exceed 10,000 and a 17 percent chance they could reach 100,000.

Venezuelan officials warned the disaster could reduce gross domestic product by as much as 7 percent.