Twin Earthquakes Rock Venezuela, Leveling Buildings in Caracas and Sparking Tsunami Fears

The ground beneath Caracas turned treacherous on June 24 as two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela in quick succession, collapsing structures in the capital and sending tsunami alerts rippling across Caribbean islands. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the seismic doublet, with the first jolt hitting at 6:04 p.m. local time, about 15 miles east-northeast of San Felipe. Initially pegged at magnitude 7.1, the quake rumbled from a depth of roughly 8 miles, its epicenter sitting 17 miles northwest of Montalban.

Then, within seconds, chaos doubled. The USGS logged a second, stronger tremor—magnitude 7.5—just 14 miles southeast of Yumare. The agency noted the staggering sequence: a 7.2 foreshock followed a mere 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock. “High casualties and damage are probable,” the USGS warned, adding that the disaster likely spans a wide area, with aftershocks—some potentially violent—still possible.

Across the Caribbean, alarms blared. The U.S. Tsunami Warning System initially flagged a threat for Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and British Virgin Islands, alongside Venezuelan offshore islands like Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. But hours later, the advisory was lifted. “The tsunami threat from this earthquake has passed,” the system declared.

On the ground in Caracas, witnesses described a city in panic. Reuters reported people fleeing shaking buildings, with one witness recounting forced evacuations and another spotting cracks snaking down their apartment’s side. Nightfall revealed the grim aftermath: video showed emergency crews clambering into a collapsed building in the capital. Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed on state television that “some buildings have been brought down, houses have collapsed,” though he offered no immediate death or injury toll, stating protocols were underway to assess the full scope.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at fernando.cervantes@usatodayco.com and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.