Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 32 people and injuring around 700 others after buildings collapsed across Caracas and surrounding areas, according to authorities.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit around 160 kilometers (100 miles) west of the capital, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).
@aljazeeraenglish Two powerful earthquakes, magnitude 7.1 and 7.5, struck west of the Venezuela capital #Caracas, ♬ original sound – Al Jazeera English
People react during an earthquake at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, June 24, 2026, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Wilmer Azuaje/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. THIS PICTURE WAS PROCESSED BY REUTERS TO ENHANCE QUALITY. AN UNPROCESSED VERSION HAS BEEN PROVIDED SEPARATELY. Verification Lines: The location of the video was verified by the ceiling, signage and floor design which matched archive and imagery of Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela. The video was filmed at the coordinates: 10.598665374102927, -66.98241535277018. The date was verified by a USGS report of two earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24. Venezuela’s Interior Ministry said buildings and houses plummeted after the earthquakes.
Emergency crews rushed to damaged areas as residents searched for missing relatives and survivors were pulled from collapsed structures.
Rescue operations underway after widespread damage
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said dozens of buildings had collapsed and that rescue teams were working intensively to save people trapped under debris.
“Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save,” Rodriguez said in a televised statement.
Rescue workers gather at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria REFILE – QUALITY REPEAT
The worst-affected areas included parts of Caracas and nearby La Guaira state, where the capital’s airport was temporarily closed. Authorities said early casualty figures did not include all areas affected.
Residents described scenes of panic as buildings shook during the afternoon holiday period.
“When we went downstairs, the scene was like a horror movie,” said Maria Alejandra, a resident who witnessed the aftermath of a collapsed building.
Aftershocks continue as international help offered
Aftershocks continued into the early hours of Thursday, keeping residents on alert.
People inspect the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
The government said rescue teams from other countries were expected to arrive and thanked international leaders who offered assistance.
U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States was prepared to help Venezuela following what he described as a disaster that caused a “devastating number of deaths”.
The U.S. State Department said it was communicating with Venezuelan authorities and working to mobilise assistance, while leaders from countries including El Salvador, the Dominican Republic and Brazil also offered support.
Buildings collapse as residents flee into streets
Across Caracas, residents rushed outside as the shaking intensified.
“Everyone was running down the stairs,” said Astrid Ramirez, a resident of western Caracas who described hearing people screaming as the earthquake struck.
Another resident said a phone earthquake alert arrived shortly before the strongest shaking began.
People gather at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
“As I picked it up and started listening to what it was saying, I first felt light shaking. Then, in less than two seconds, everything started moving,” the resident said.
Venezuela sits in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate. The country’s capital was previously hit by a deadly magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 1967.
Hospitals prepare for injured patients
Hospitals in Caracas increased staffing as medical teams treated people injured in the disaster.
At Caracas’ Hospital de Clinicas, workers were asked to reinforce night shifts to help manage the influx of patients. Authorities also cancelled classes for the rest of the week while damage assessments continued.
Two women run during an earthquake at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, June 24, 2026, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Wilmer Azuaje/via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. MANDATORY CREDIT. NO RESALES. NO ARCHIVES. Verification Lines: The location of the video was verified by the ceiling, signage and floor design which matched archive and imagery of Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela. The video was filmed at the coordinates: 10.598665374102927, -66.98241535277018. The date was verified by a USGS report of two earthquakes that hit Venezuela on June 24. Venezuela’s Interior Ministry said buildings and houses plummeted after the earthquakes.
A tsunami warning issued after the earthquakes was later cancelled after the danger passed.
Oil infrastructure appears largely unaffected
Venezuela’s oil infrastructure did not appear to suffer immediate major damage from the earthquakes.
Civil protection officials in Maracaibo reported no injuries near the country’s major oil region, while a worker at the El Palito refinery near the earthquake’s epicentre said there was no damage there.
People inspect the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria
Shell said all of its employees in Venezuela were accounted for and that no injuries had been reported.
