Venezuela launched a major rescue operation on Thursday after two powerful earthquakes killed hundreds of people, damaged buildings and left communities across Caracas and coastal areas struggling to recover.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck about 160 km west of Caracas on Wednesday evening, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, the strongest earthquake recorded in Venezuela since 1900, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
People stand next to patients in wheelchairs and hospital beds on the street outside a hospital after an earthquake, in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
The disaster caused widespread destruction, with hundreds of people feared trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said around 235 bodies had been received by medical centers, though he did not provide a final casualty figure.
Rescue efforts intensify in worst-hit areas
La Guaira state, a coastal region next to Caracas and home to the capital’s main airport, was among the hardest-hit areas.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez described the region as a “disaster zone” and said authorities were working with private companies to bring heavy equipment needed for rescue operations.
Emergency services work at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake, in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Gaby Oraa TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
At least 200 people were reported trapped, while around 250 buildings were damaged or destroyed, according to Jorge Rodriguez, head of Venezuela’s national assembly and brother of the interim president.
Several major facilities were also affected, including hospitals, the Venezuelan Red Cross headquarters and the French embassy.
Emergency crews and volunteers searched through collapsed structures into the night, but some residents said help was slow to arrive.
In La Guaira city, Yamileth Jimenez said her 19-year-old son remained trapped under the debris of their apartment building.
Emergency services work at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake, in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Gaby Oraa TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
“He’s under the slabs and there’s no machinery to get him out,” she said.
Thousands left without homes
The earthquakes struck while many Venezuelans were at home during a public holiday, sending residents rushing into the streets as buildings shook and collapsed.
Near the epicenter in Moron, Carabobo state, houses were destroyed and residents were left without basic services including water and electricity.
Around 200 families from a damaged residential complex searched through the ruins to recover belongings, including mattresses and household items. Some waited for government shelters, while others turned to relatives for help.
People ride past a collapsed building after an earthquake, in La Guaira, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Maxwell Briceno
“We lost everything. We have no food or medicines … We hope help arrives quickly,” said Pedro Perez, a 64-year-old resident who lost both his home and business.
Missing reports raise fears of higher toll
The USGS warned that the final death toll could rise significantly, with modelling suggesting fatalities could reach into the thousands and potentially exceed 10,000.
A website created to track missing people listed more than 46,000 people as unaccounted for, although the figures could not be independently verified.
The United Nations said a large international rescue effort would be needed, noting that millions of people in Venezuela were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquake.
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher said the response would require a “massive collective effort” to support affected communities.
Members of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN) stand next to a damaged building that used to house a university several years ago, after a strong earthquake, in Valencia, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Juan Carlos Hernandez TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY
International assistance begins
Countries around the world offered support, including the United States and Russia.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was “ready, willing and able to help,” while Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. would send rescue teams and provide logistical support.
Washington also authorized earthquake-related aid transactions that would otherwise have been restricted by sanctions.
SpaceX’s Starlink said it would provide free service through July 25 for customers in affected areas and was working to deploy terminals to restore communications in the hardest-hit locations.
Despite the widespread damage, foreign energy companies said Venezuela’s oil infrastructure appeared to have avoided major disruption.
