At least 164 people have died and more than 1000 others have been injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within seconds, causing buildings to collapse, damaging critical infrastructure, and sending rescue crews into heavily affected areas around Caracas.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez cautioned that the figure could rise, as officials still lacked full information from La Guaira, the coastal state near the capital that appeared to have suffered the heaviest damage.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, expressed condolences to the families of the victims, and said the government had suspended schools and railway services while emergency teams assessed the destruction.
Two major earthquakes hit Venezuela within 39 seconds
The U.S. Geological Survey said the first quake, which it described as a foreshock, had a magnitude of 7.2 and struck at 6:04 p.m. local time, or 1:04 a.m. in Greece. The tremor originated at a depth of 21.9 kilometers, about 200 kilometers west of Caracas.
A second and stronger quake followed just 39 seconds later. That tremor measured magnitude 7.5, struck about 45 kilometers from the first epicentral area, and had a shallow depth of 10 kilometers.
Authorities later recorded around 20 strong aftershocks, raising fears that already damaged buildings could collapse further.
The USGS (United States Geological Survey) warned that the twin seismic event could cause destruction on a wide scale and potentially lead to thousands of deaths.
Rescue crews search through collapsed buildings in Caracas
In Caracas, rescue operations quickly focused on collapsed buildings and heavily damaged neighborhoods. Emergency crews carried survivors out on stretchers and moved the injured into ambulances as residents gathered near piles of concrete, glass, and twisted metal.
One of the worst scenes emerged in Altamira, where a 22-story apartment building collapsed completely. People outside the wreckage called out the names of relatives believed to be trapped inside, while volunteers climbed across the debris as night fell. One rescuer shouted that search teams urgently needed flashlights.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed that several buildings had collapsed in the capital. He also ordered authorities to cut the natural gas supply in affected areas to reduce the risk of fires or explosions.
Cabello said some structures had sustained damage and that officials wanted to prevent any additional accidents linked to gas leaks. He reported injuries but did not give a separate casualty figure.
The situation remained unclear in Puerto Cabello and San Felipe, two cities closer to the epicentral zone. Together, the area is home to more than 400,000 people.
Residents Spend the Night Outside
Panic spread through Caracas as buildings shook and residents rushed into the streets. Many stayed outside into the night, fearing that aftershocks could bring down homes, apartment blocks, or already weakened structures.
Heidi Romero, a 42-year-old shopkeeper working on the top floor of a shopping center in Altamira, described the shaking as overwhelming. She said objects started falling around her as the tremor intensified.
Odalis Escalona, a 54-year-old bank employee, said walls cracked and pieces of ceiling came down during the quake.
Power outages affected parts of the capital, where broken glass covered several streets.
Carmen Guedes, 69, said she was inside with her bedridden sister when the shaking began. She described the force of the quake growing stronger as windows rattled and the room moved around them. Guedes said she, her sister, and a neighbor held onto one another because they could not get outside.
Venezuela Hit By 2 Strongest Earthquakes, first earthquake in Venezuela had a magnitude of 7.1, while the second earthquake was of 7.5 magnitude.#Earthquake #Tsunami pic.twitter.com/bN2wazmsAh
— Conflict Radar (@Conflict_Radar1) June 25, 2026
Caracas international airport closed after severe damage
Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, La Guaira, about 40 kilometers from Caracas, closed after sustaining serious damage, Rodríguez said.
The airport, which serves the Venezuelan capital, will remain shut until further notice.
Images released by lawmaker Wilmer Azuaje showed sections of a terminal ceiling that had come down as frightened passengers ran from the building.
The closure adds another challenge for emergency response teams as authorities try to evaluate damage in coastal areas and move aid into affected zones.
Venezuela earthquakes felt in Colombia
The earthquakes also shook neighboring Colombia. Residents in Bogotá felt the tremors, even though the Colombian capital lies roughly 1,000 kilometers from Caracas in a straight line.
Colombia’s disaster risk management agency said the country’s Caribbean coast faced no tsunami threat.
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