Friday, June 26, 2026

Venezuela earthquakes cause widespread damage and casualties

Two powerful back-to-back earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, causing widespread building collapses, casualties, and infrastructure damage across Caracas and surrounding regions. Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and mobilized emergency responders as search and rescue operations got underway. The USGS warned that high casualties and extensive damage are probable, with death toll estimates potentially ranging into the thousands.