The death toll from the two major earthquakes in Venezuela currently stands at 164 people, while 971 more have sustained injuries. According to the country's Acting President, Delcy RodrÃguez, the two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 occurred on Wednesday evening.
The officials believe that the number of casualties will likely increase since the rescue teams are still conducting searches in collapsed buildings.
The earthquakes were among the strongest recorded in Venezuela in more than a century and were felt across neighbouring countries, including Brazil and Colombia.
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State of emergency declared
Addressing the nation, Acting President RodrÃguez declared a state of emergency and appealed to healthcare workers to report to hospitals to assist the growing number of injured.
She described La Guaira state as the worst-affected area, calling it a "disaster zone" where dozens of buildings collapsed.
He sostenido una llamada telefónica con el secretario de Estado de los Estados Unidos de América, Marco Rubio, quien ha expresado su solidaridad y apoyo hacia el pueblo venezolano en estos momentos difÃciles para nuestra nación. https://t.co/VajSZHhVF1
— Delcy RodrÃguez (@delcyrodriguezv) June 25, 2026
State television broadcast images of rescue workers pulling survivors, including three children, from the rubble. Search teams continued operations using heavy equipment while residents also joined efforts to locate missing people. Authorities said the latest casualty figures do not yet include all affected areas, indicating that the final toll could increase.
Infrastructure damaged across the country
Earthquakes have wreaked havoc on the city's basic infrastructure and disrupted transport and service delivery.
Some parts of the Venezuelan capital suffered power interruptions and mobile phone network failures as Simón BolÃvar International Airport's operations were temporarily stopped following damage to the facility.
Metro services in the city ceased to function, natural gas supplies were cut off and some schools remained closed for several days. Some school facilities were going to be turned into relief centers by the ministry of education. People ran out of the shaky buildings in panic as aftershocks shook the area.
International assistance begins
Support has begun arriving from several countries following the disaster. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was deploying search-and-rescue teams, medical assistance and humanitarian aid to Venezuela.
Acting President RodrÃguez also acknowledged offers of assistance from Qatar, Mexico and El Salvador, while Ecuador announced humanitarian aid for the affected regions.
Also Read | Venezuela rocked by twin quakes; 164 dead as aid pours in from around the world
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said the first earthquake, measuring 7.2 magnitude, struck west of Morón at a depth of 22 kilometres. A second 7.5 magnitude earthquake followed about a minute later at a depth of 10 kilometres.
Although Venezuela lies near the boundary of the South American and Caribbean tectonic plates, earthquakes of this magnitude are relatively rare in the country compared with other parts of Latin America.
Rescue and relief operations are continuing as authorities assess the full extent of the devastation.
FAQs
Q1. How many people have died in the Venezuela earthquakes?
According to Venezuelan authorities, at least 164 people have been killed and 971 injured, with rescue operations still underway.
Q2. How strong were the earthquakes that struck Venezuela?
The United States Geological Survey reported two earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude that struck within about a minute of each other.
