Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger
Two very strong earthquakes have shaken Venezuela. The President has declared a state of emergency. This is known.
June 26, 2026, 06:39June 26, 2026, 06:39
What happened?
In less than a minute, two very strong earthquakes shook Venezuela. The US Earthquake Observatory USGS gave the magnitude of the tremors as 7.2 and 7.5. Accordingly, the earthquakes were among the strongest in the world this year.
According to the information, the epicenter of the first quake was 24 kilometers east of San Felipe in the northwest of the South American country at a depth of 21.9 kilometers. The second and stronger earthquake occurred just a few kilometers further north at a depth of only ten kilometers.
School lessons are suspended and train services are suspended. The international airport in the capital Caracas has also stopped operations.
How big is the damage?
Barely a day after the disaster, officially at least 200 people are still buried under the rubble, as the President of the National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez announced. The confirmed death toll rose to 235 and more than 4,300 people were injured.
However, since the second earthquake occurred at a depth of only ten kilometers, the number of victims is expected to be even higher. Emergency services are searching for numerous people buried under the rubble.
According to the President of the National Assembly, in addition to numerous residential buildings, eight hospitals, 20 shopping centers and 68 public infrastructure facilities were damaged. It is the worst natural disaster that Venezuela has experienced in the past 30 years, said Rodríguez. The brother of Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced that the head of state had traveled to the particularly affected disaster area of La Guaira in the north of the country.
People sought safety in Caracas.Image: Keystone
Buildings collapsed in the capital, Caracas, as seen on television. Videos of damaged buildings and damage at Caracas airport, among others, circulated on social networks. Videos showed frightened people at the airport trying to get to safety as the ground shook and clouds of dust rose.
Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger
According to the US Earthquake Observatory (USGS), just over 400,000 people live in the relatively nearby cities of Puerto Cabello and San Felipe alone. Ean automatic model calculation from the USGSbased on the magnitude of the quake and the proximity of some cities, suggested a very high probability of more than a thousand deaths.
The USGS expects more than a thousand deaths.Image: USGS
In the city of Tucacas on the Caribbean coast, 15 people are believed to be under the rubble of a collapsed five-story building, the governor of the state of Falcón, Víctor Clark, told the television station VTV. Around 22 injured people were receiving medical care in clinics there.
What does the government say?
“We are dealing with an extremely alarming situation,” said Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello on television. President Rodríguez also spoke of an “incident with serious consequences” and declared a state of emergency.
“There are states that are particularly affected,” said Rodríguez, including La Guaira. There have already been 20 aftershocks. Rescue work now has priority, said Rodríguez.
How do other countries react?
The US State Department said it set up a crisis team to send search and rescue teams as well as humanitarian and medical aid in consultation with the Venezuelan government.
The President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, also wrote on Platform
At this moment, he has heard from the Gobierno de Venezuela and traveled to the next Cancillería.
300 rescatistas and paramédicos, together with 50 toneladas de equipo, medicamentos e insumos de primera necesidad, están listos para partir hacia Caracas
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) June 25, 2026
Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader said specialized search and rescue teams from the armed forces would leave for Venezuela in the morning. Brazil also signaled its willingness to help. According to Rodríguez, other countries have already offered help.
US President Donald Trump also commented on the accident. On Truth Social he writes: “The two major earthquakes that have just struck the great people of Venezuela are both enormous in magnitude and have claimed a devastating death toll.” The USA is ready to help, Trump continued. “I have directed all agencies of our government to prepare to act quickly.”
(ome/sda/dpa)