Powerful earthquakes strike Venezuela, leaving dozens dead and hundreds injured as rescue efforts continue
A state of emergency was declared after two major quakes hit the country, causing widespread destruction in Caracas and La Guaira, while international teams prepare to provide rescue and humanitarian assistance.
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Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that the two earthquakes had caused 32 deaths and left 700 people injured, according to preliminary figures.
A state of emergency was declared across the country following the powerful earthquakes, which caused extensive damage in the capital, Caracas, and resulted in the closure of Maiquetía International Airport.
In a televised address, Rodríguez stated that two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, were followed by 20 aftershocks.
She pointed to the collapse of dozens of buildings in La Guaira, describing the situation as a “real tragedy.”
U.S. Preparedness...
The United States announced that it was in contact with Venezuelan authorities following the powerful earthquakes that struck the country and that it was working to mobilize assistance for the South American nation.
#MNTV ❗ IMPACTANTES IMÁGENES DURANTE LOS SISMOS EN VENEZUELA ❗
— Más Noticias Televisión HN (@masntvhn) June 25, 2026
🔴 Un video que circula en redes sociales muestra el momento en que una persona desciende por un edificio mientras se registran los fuertes movimientos telúricos que han afectado a Venezuela, dejando escenas que… pic.twitter.com/XJIRVB5gCF
In addition, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Thursday that the United States will “immediately send” rescue teams and aid to Venezuela.
He wrote on “X”: “America stands with the Venezuelan people in this ordeal and, on the instructions of President (Donald) Trump, the State Department will immediately send search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela.”
For his part, Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said on “X”: “We are in contact with the authorities and working to mobilize aid.”
Meanwhile, Jeremy Lewin, a U.S. Department of State official, stated on “X” that the department had assembled a disaster response team and a task force dedicated to providing and coordinating critical assistance for Venezuelans.
URGENTE | Terremoto 7.2 y 7.5 en 🇻🇪Venezuela
— Realidad Internacional 🌍 (@realidad_int) June 25, 2026
Continúan las tareas de búsqueda y rescate.
Si prestan atención al video pareciera que el edificio se hundió a la mitad de tal manera que podemos ver el baño de al menos 2 pisos en forma de V . pic.twitter.com/kKmEzQdYNA
Destruction and Damage...
An AFP journalist reported seeing a 22-story building completely destroyed in the Altamira neighborhood. Outside the site, people called out the names of their relatives, while volunteers climbed through piles of debris. As darkness fell, one of them appealed for help, saying, “We need flashlights.”
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged residents to evacuate their homes, adding that gas supplies had been cut off to many buildings as a precautionary measure.
He said, “Some facilities have been damaged, and we do not want any gas-related accidents to occur.”
"It Was Terrifying"
Many frightened residents rushed into the streets, where they remained throughout the evening, too afraid to return to their homes or offices amid fears of further aftershocks.
Heidi Romero, a 42-year-old trader who was on an upper floor of a shopping center when the earthquake struck, said, “It was unbelievable, and I don’t even know how long it lasted.”
She told AFP, “We got out through the emergency stairs; that is how they managed to get us out” of the center in Altamira.
La Guaira Venezuela
— Alerta Mundial (@TuiteroSismico) June 25, 2026
Sin Palabras !!
Casi todo en el suelo pic.twitter.com/y0752sHwDx
Power outages were also reported in the capital, where the remains of shattered glass covered many streets.
Carmen Guédez, 69, was in her bedridden sister’s room when the ground began to tremble.
The intensity of the situation continued to escalate, as Guédez, who lives in a middle-class neighborhood overlooking the capital, told AFP.
She recounted, “I started seeing the windows moving, then everything began to shake. My sister, a neighbor, and I were trapped in one place, unable to get out.”
