A catastrophic seismic doublet struck Venezuela’s northern coast on June 24, leveling buildings and triggering a humanitarian crisis. Two major earthquakes, occurring just 39 seconds apart, sent residents of Caracas fleeing into the streets as emergency crews scrambled through rubble for survivors. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed on June 25 that at least 164 people had lost their lives, with nearly 1,000 others injured across the region. The death toll is expected to climb as search efforts intensify.
The first tremor, a magnitude 7.2 foreshock, hit at 6:04 p.m. local time, about 14 miles southeast of Yumare in Yaracuy state, roughly 173 miles west of Caracas. The U.S. Geological Survey reported its depth at about 12.6 miles, with the epicenter west of Morón on the Caribbean coast. Seconds later, a magnitude 7.5 mainshock—with a depth of about 6 miles and an epicenter southwest of Morón—unleashed further destruction. The USGS described the event as a “severe seismic doublet sequence,” noting that such doublets likely involve complex rupture interactions between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates.
In Caracas, the Baruta district saw two buildings collapse, killing at least three people, according to the district mayor. In the Chacao district, Mayor Gustavo Duque reported one fatality and four buildings completely destroyed, with 22 people hospitalized. Across the coastal state of Falcon, Governor Victor Clark confirmed 22 injuries and 15 missing. “We have buildings, homes and houses which have collapsed,” Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said on state television, urging all available security and civil assistance to respond.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency late June 24, noting that La Guaira state—home to Caracas’s airport—suffered the worst damage, with dozens of buildings collapsed. “We are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save,” she said in a televised address early June 25. “This is a true tragedy. To those families who have lost loved ones, we reaffirm our condolences and our support in these difficult hours.”
Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía closed indefinitely due to damage. Schools nationwide were canceled for the week, while rail services and non-essential activities were suspended. Fire trucks lined Caracas’s streets as staff at Hospital de Clinicas doubled night shifts to handle the injured. Witnesses described buildings shaking and cracks forming in walls, with video showing emergency workers climbing into collapsed structures as night fell.
International aid began mobilizing. Rodríguez said she would seek funds from multilateral organizations. Leaders from El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Brazil offered support, while the U.S. State Department mobilized a disaster assistance team. Jeremy Lewin, overseeing U.S. foreign assistance, confirmed search and rescue teams, medical supplies, and humanitarian resources were en route. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, calling the earthquakes “massive in scale” and promising swift U.S. aid. “Early reports are not good!!!” he wrote.
A tsunami threat for Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands was later canceled. The USGS warned that aftershocks, including potentially strong ones, could follow. Venezuela, situated on a seismically active plate boundary, now faces a long recovery as rescuers dig through the wreckage.
