Back-to-back powerful earthquakes struck off the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday evening, collapsing buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets.
The 7.2 and seven.5 magnitude earthquakes roiled the region, with buildings evacuated in cities as far-off as Brazil’s Amazon about 1,700 kilometers away.
Venezuela’s Maiquetía Airport has closed and classes canceled after earthquakes damaged several states across the country, acting President Rodríguez said in a news conference.
Rodríguez’s failure to deal with the nation inside three hours of the earthquake, while her government didn’t give a report of injuries or fatalities in that point, was criticized by politicians and Venezuelans.
“The uncertainty becomes one more layer of anguish,” Edmundo González, the opposition’s 2024 presidential candidate, said on X.
The U.S. Geological Survey initially said the primary earthquake had a magnitude of seven.1, later revising that to 7.2, and its epicenter was west of the community of Morón, positioned along the country’s Caribbean coast, about 168 kilometers west of Caracas. The quake had a depth of twenty-two kilometers.
The USGS reported an excellent larger 7.5-magnitude earthquake only a minute later. The second quake had a depth of 10 kilometers and its epicenter was 16 kilometers southwest of Morón.
The quakes, among the many strongest to strike Venezuela in greater than a century, struck shortly after 6 p.m. People evacuated swaying buildings within the capital Caracas, many visibly shocked as they saw entire partitions that had collapsed, making furniture visible from the road. Dust columns may be seen in two neighborhoods of the capital, where restaurants and other businesses are typically busy.
People walk amid debris after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24, 2026.
AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos
‘All of us had to depart our homes’
People remained on the streets for hours, even after sunset. Some sat on the bottom hugging their pets as dust gathered around them. Collapsed buildings, toppled electric poles and debris blocked streets. Parts of the capital lost power and cellphone signal.
“It began off gently after which progressively grew, and ultimately, all of us had to depart our homes, go outside and gather together,” Caracas resident Hector Ricci said.
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The shortage of cellphone signal in parts of Venezuela deepened the distress of many families, particularly those among the many greater than 7.7 million individuals who have left the country during its protracted crisis.
“May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail amongst us within the face of this difficult time,” opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said from exile on X.
Impact felt throughout Venezuela
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the quake could possibly be felt in several states. The Altamira neighborhood in Caracas had “alarming situations” with collapsed homes and buildings, he said, suggesting people were injured within the earthquake and asking motorists to present approach to ambulances and other emergency vehicles.
“We understand that some people could also be desperate, but we’re acting in accordance with protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to assist those that need it most,” Cabello said on state television. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call one another and check that nobody has been harmed.”
He also urged people to stay outside as aftershocks could further damage some structures.
“The constructing really shook back and forth. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” Caracas resident Roberto Gamas said. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Every little thing within the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were capable of get out.”
Expressions of support posted on social media
Response pouring in swiftly on social media.
Venezuela opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, in exile after leaving Venezuela in December, took to to X to send prayers and want strength to Venezuelans.
“May strength, serenity, and solidarity prevail amongst us within the face of this difficult time,” she wrote on X.
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele expressed solidarity with Venezuela following the earthquakes, saying his country’s “heart is with the people of Venezuela during these difficult times.”
“We send you all our solidarity and our prayers. Stay strong, Venezuela,” Bukele wrote.
Republican Rep. María Elvira Salazar of Florida said her “thoughts and prayers” were with Venezuela and expressed support for families affected, those still waiting for answers and first responders.
“The strength of the Venezuelan people has been tested repeatedly,” she wrote. “I even have little doubt they are going to face this moment with the identical resilience, courage, and hope which have carried them through every challenge.”
Earthquake impacts the region
Buildings in Manaus, Belem and Macapá in Brazil’s Amazon were evacuated, in accordance with reports on TV Globo.
The quakes also were felt in Colombia’s Caribbean and northeast regions, but there have been no reports of damages or injuries. The Colombian Maritime Authority in an announcement said the country’s Caribbean coast is at no risk of tsunami.
The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert for Virgin Islands. Authorities within the Dominican Republic also issued one for the island. One other alert for Puerto Rico was quickly lifted.
Strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela.
While the country sits near multiple fault lines, its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates make earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America. Along the Pacific coast — in Mexico and Chile, for instance — earthquakes are frequent. The 2 countries sit along the seismically lively tectonic belt referred to as the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” which is accountable for 90% of earthquakes, in accordance with the USGS.
The quakes also were felt in Colombia’s Caribbean and northeast regions, but there have been no reports of damages or injuries. The Colombian Maritime Authority said in an announcement that the country’s Caribbean coast is at no risk of tsunami.
In Brazil’s Amazon, buildings within the cities of Manaus, Belem and Macapá also were evacuated.