Twin Earthquakes Strike Venezuela; Death Toll Could Exceed 10,000

On June 24, 2026, two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela within less than a minute of each other, collapsing buildings across Caracas and the surrounding coast. Authorities warned the death toll could run into the thousands as rescue teams worked through the night searching for survivors.

The first quake, a 7.2-magnitude foreshock, hit at around 6 p.m. Eastern time. Seconds later, a stronger 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck in nearly the same location. The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenters were near the towns of San Felipe and Yumare on Venezuela's Caribbean coast, roughly 100 miles west of Caracas. The two events were so close in time and space that seismologists described them as a "doublet." USGS seismologist Paul Earle explained that when earthquakes are this close together, "it can be difficult to unravel the exact magnitudes and the exact locations, especially for the second event," because the signals overlap on seismograms.

The 7.5-magnitude event was the strongest earthquake to hit Venezuela since a 7.7-magnitude quake struck the country in 1900.

A City in Chaos

Video posted to social media immediately after the quakes showed buildings collapsing in Caracas, debris falling at Simón Bolívar International Airport, and crowds running into the streets. The airport was closed due to severe damage. The coastal state of La Guaira, the hardest-hit region, was declared a disaster zone. Dozens of buildings collapsed across Caracas and surrounding areas, with emergency workers climbing through the ruins as night fell while distraught relatives sought help for loved ones feared trapped.