Venezuela Struck by Back-to-Back 7.2 and 7.5 Earthquakes — At Least 164 Dead, La Guaira Declared Disaster Zone, USGS Warns of 10,000 Possible Fatalities

Caracas / La Guaira, Venezuela — June 24–25, 2026

In one of the most catastrophic natural disasters to strike South America in years, Venezuela was hit by two massive back-to-back earthquakes on Wednesday evening — killing at least 164 people, devastating entire neighborhoods in Caracas and leaving the coastal state of La Guaira as a declared disaster zone, with rescue teams working through the night to pull survivors from the rubble.

The Earthquakes

"This earthquake was the second event in a doublet — this magnitude 7.5 mainshock was preceded just 39 seconds before by a 7.2 foreshock," the USGS said.

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck near San Felipe, about 284 kilometres west of Caracas, at 22:04 GMT on Wednesday, followed almost immediately by a magnitude 7.5 quake near Yumare, about 293 kilometres west of the capital, according to the US Geological Survey. The first earthquake was centered 17.6 miles northwest of the town of Montalbán, and struck at a depth of 8.2 miles.

The quakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century. They struck shortly after 6 PM local time.

The Death Toll

The quakes killed at least 164 people and injured hundreds more, as buildings collapsed in and around the capital Caracas. Those figures did not include possible casualties in the state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, which interim President Delcy Rodriguez described as a "true tragedy" and a "disaster zone."

La Guaira, on the nation's northern coast, apparently was the hardest-hit state. "Dozens of buildings have collapsed and we are engaged in the arduous task of rescuing the lives that God allows us to save. The state of La Guaira is facing a true tragedy and has become a disaster zone," Rodriguez said. She also asked all healthcare professionals in the country to report to hospitals to assist anyone who was injured.

The Scenes on the Ground

An Agence France-Presse journalist saw a 22-story building completely destroyed in Caracas' Altamira neighborhood, where people cried out relatives' names as volunteers climbed over the rubble.

Maria Alejandra, a woman who escaped a collapsed building in Caracas, told Reuters: "All the walls were cracked. We managed to open the door however we could. There was a cloud of smoke that wouldn't let us see. And when we went downstairs, the scene was like a horror movie. We had to climb over the rubble and everything. The building superintendent with the baby and all the neighbors coming down. But from that building, I only saw that one family got out."

People remained on the streets of Caracas for hours, even after sunset. Some sat on the ground hugging their pets as dust gathered around them. Collapsed buildings, toppled electric poles and debris blocked streets. Parts of the capital lost power and cellphone signal.

Witnesses described the shock of experiencing two earthquakes less than a minute apart. "It was unbelievable, I don't even know how long it lasted," said Heidi Romero, who was on the top floor of a shopping centre when the quakes struck. "We went out through the emergency stairs — that's how they got us out," the 42-year-old shopkeeper told AFP.

The USGS Warning

The USGS said: "High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread." The agency's predictive modeling indicated the quakes could have killed thousands of people, with a 42% chance of at least 10,000 fatalities — though that is based on historical averages and does not take into account many factors specific to this event.

The warning reflects both the scale of the seismic event and the vulnerability of Venezuela's infrastructure — a country already weakened by years of economic crisis, political instability and underinvestment in building standards and emergency preparedness.

The Tsunami Advisory

The quakes briefly triggered tsunami advisories in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, per the National Weather Service's US Tsunami Warning System. Those advisories were later canceled.

The temporary tsunami advisory sent shockwaves across the Caribbean, prompting emergency evacuations in coastal communities across multiple islands before authorities confirmed the threat had passed.

International Response

The United States pledged to help, as did humanitarian organizations and a number of other countries including China, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

Emergency teams from across the region began mobilizing within hours of the earthquake, with search and rescue units and medical supplies being dispatched to Venezuela's most affected areas.

Venezuela's Vulnerability

Venezuela entered this earthquake among the most fragile nations in the Western Hemisphere. Years of economic collapse under the Maduro government, hyperinflation, mass emigration and chronic underinvestment in infrastructure had left the country's buildings and emergency systems in a deeply compromised state long before Wednesday's earthquakes struck.

The lack of cellphone signal in parts of Venezuela deepened the distress of many families, particularly those among the more than 7.7 million people who have left the country during its protracted crisis — many of whom spent Wednesday night desperately trying to reach loved ones with no way of knowing if they were alive.

What Comes Next

With La Guaira declared a disaster zone and casualty figures from the hardest-hit areas still not fully counted, the true scale of this catastrophe remains unknown. Rescue teams are working through the night. Hospitals are overwhelmed. Roads are blocked by debris.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state television: "We have buildings, homes and houses which have collapsed and we are taking care of things with everything we have available in terms of security, civil assistance."

DeSanta News will continue to follow this developing catastrophe as rescue operations continue across Venezuela and casualty figures are updated.