Twin Earthquakes Hit Venezuela, Killing Hundreds and Leaving Thousands Missing
6 verified4 unconfirmed2 contested
Two powerful earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday, causing widespread devastation and a rising death toll. The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, hit less than a minute apart and were among the strongest to affect the country in more than a century. The coastal state of La Guaira is one of the worst-affected areas, with numerous buildings collapsed. Government officials have reported at least 920 deaths and more than 3,000 injuries, and thousands of people remain missing. International rescue teams, including sniffer dogs, have joined local efforts to search for survivors. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and said the region has been militarized as aid arrives. Many families are still waiting for news of loved ones trapped under rubble.
What’s verified
Two earthquakes of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 struck northern Venezuela on June 24, 2026, less than a minute apart.
La Guaira is one of the worst-affected areas, with many buildings collapsed.
Government officials reported 920 deaths and over 3,000 injured.
Thousands of people are reported missing, with varying figures from independent sources.
International rescue teams have joined the search for survivors.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and militarized the region.
Where accounts differ
The number of missing people differs between sources: one reports over 70,000 missing according to a volunteer site, while another reports more than 52,000 missing on an independent website.
No other conflicting reports identified across sources.
Not yet confirmed
It is unclear how many people remain trapped under rubble; specific rescue stories are detailed by individual sources but not corroborated across multiple outlets.
The political impact of the earthquakes on ongoing negotiations between the government and opposition is not yet determined.
Whether the government’s disaster response will affect public trust is not reported by multiple sources.
Details about the U.S. military operation that ousted former leader Nicolás Maduro in January 2026 appear in only one source.
Key figures
Delcy Rodríguez – Acting President of Venezuela
Nicolás Maduro – Former leader (reported as ousted in one source)
Jorge Rodríguez – Current leader of the National Assembly (single source)
María Corina Machado – Opposition politician (single source)
José Alberto Gallipoli – Father of a rescued man (single source)
Dayana Patiño – Mother rescued with newborn (single source)
Ramón Soto – Survivor in La Guaira (single source)
Sources: BBC News, NBC News, csmonitor.com
