At least 164 people were killed and 971 injured after two strong earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday.
The tremors measured 7.2 and 7.5, placing them among the strongest to hit the country in more than a century. The shocks were felt far beyond Venezuela’s borders, with evacuations reported as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometres from Caracas.
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🚨 TRAGIC NEWS 🚨
— Megh Updates 🚨 (@MeghUpdates) June 25, 2026
Back-to-back powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck off the coast of Venezuela, causing many buildings to collapse.
The USGS has issued a preliminary estimate warning that the death toll could range from 10,000 to 100,000 casualties 💔 pic.twitter.com/TpNgizDYEc
State of emergency and rising toll
Rodriguez declared a state of emergency late Wednesday and described La Guaira, north of Caracas, as a “disaster zone” after it emerged as the worst-hit area.
She said the earlier death toll of 32 was expected to rise and noted that the figures released in the first hours after the quakes did not include La Guaira. Rodriguez said more than 700 people had been injured at that stage and that rescue teams were working through the night as “dozens of buildings” collapsed in the coastal state. She also asked health workers to report to hospitals to help cope with the injured.
Rescue efforts and eyewitness accounts
Television footage showed rescue workers using power tools to clear rubble, while ordinary residents joined the search for missing people amid collapsed walls, toppled electric poles and streets blocked by debris.
In Caracas, people ran out of swaying buildings as dust rose in several neighbourhoods, leaving damaged interiors exposed to the street.
One resident, Hector Ricci, said the quake “started off gently” before intensifying, while another, Roberto Gamas, described the force as “incredibly strong” after the building he was in shook “from side to side".
The official death toll in Venezuela is 32. The US Geological Survey's own models estimate the real number will most likely reach the thousands, with a serious chance of passing 10,000 or maybe towards 100,000 as per some reports. The most important figure in this disaster is the…
— Shanaka Anslem Perera ⚡ (@shanaka86) June 25, 2026
The world answers the call
The quakes also cut power and cellphone service in parts of the country, suspended subway operations in Caracas, shut off natural gas and damaged Simon Bolivar International Airport, Rodriguez said.
Classes were cancelled for several days, and some school buildings were converted into shelters and donation centres. The tremors triggered tsunami alerts that were later lifted, while reports from Brazil and Colombia said the shaking was felt in parts of those countries too.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Washington was deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian assistance, and Ecuador, Qatar, Mexico and El Salvador also offered support as the search continued.
Venezuela lies near several fault lines, but major earthquakes are less common there than along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
Also Read | After Venezuela, powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake strikes northern Japan
FAQs
Q1: How many people were killed and injured in the Venezuela earthquakes?
Ans: According to Venezuelan officials, at least 164 people were killed and 971 injured after the powerful earthquakes.
Q2: Which areas were most affected by the Venezuela earthquakes?
Ans: La Guaira, north of Caracas, was declared a disaster zone after suffering the worst damage from the twin earthquakes.
