Two Powerful Earthquakes, Up to 7.5 Magnitude, Strike Venezuela; Caracas Buildings Damaged

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s Caribbean coast on Wednesday evening, sending residents rushing into streets in Caracas and raising fears of widespread damage in the capital and nearby coastal areas. Early readings from the US Geological Survey placed the stronger quake at magnitude 7.5, after an earlier magnitude 7.1 tremor near Morón, west of Caracas.

The earthquakes were shallow, increasing the risk of serious surface damage. The USGS said the first quake was centred west of Morón at a depth of about 13 km. Minutes later, it reported a second, stronger quake about 16 km south-west of Morón, at a depth of around 10 km.

Venezuela earthquake felt across Caracas and several states

Venezuela’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, said the shaking was felt in several states. He said parts of Caracas, including the Altamira neighbourhood, had reported “alarming situations” involving damaged homes and buildings. Authorities urged people not to return to weakened structures because aftershocks could trigger further collapses.

Images and videos from Caracas showed residents gathered outside apartment blocks, with debris on streets and visible damage to some buildings. In some areas, walls appeared to have collapsed, exposing furniture and interiors. Dust was also seen rising from neighbourhoods where restaurants, shops and residential buildings are usually busy in the evening.

Immense damage seen to buildings across Venezuela’s capital of Caracas, following what now appears to have been a “double-event” 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquake back-to-back near the coast in Northern Venezuela, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). pic.twitter.com/XoG2jSJMf2

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 24, 2026

Me han pasado este vídeo del Aeropuerto de Maiquetia. dios mío… pic.twitter.com/sSH0yboQVP

— Said Rahal (@srahalh) June 24, 2026

🚨BREAKING: Footage from the Earthquake inside Venezuela in Caracas. #earthquakeVenezuela2026 pic.twitter.com/tEPn0tRLDI

— The Sentinel (@TheSentinelUSN) June 24, 2026

“We understand that some people may be desperate, but we are acting according to protocols to activate aid and rescue efforts to help those who need it most,” Cabello said on state television. He urged people to check on children, elderly residents and neighbours while emergency teams assessed the damage.

Damage reported near Caracas airport and coastal La Guaira

Some of the most serious early reports came from La Guaira, the coastal state north of Caracas that includes Venezuela’s main international gateway, Simón Bolívar International Airport. Footage from the airport appeared to show passengers running for cover inside the terminal as ceiling material fell during the shaking.

There were also reports of heavy damage to buildings in the coastal area, including a beachfront hotel. Officials had not released a full damage assessment or a confirmed national casualty figure in the immediate aftermath. Local authorities in Chacao, one of Caracas’s municipal districts, said fatalities had occurred, but no number was immediately provided.

Hospitals in Caracas also began preparing for a rise in patients. At Hospital de Clínicas, staff were reportedly asked to extend or double up night shifts to help treat the injured. Video from inside the hospital showed ceiling panels hanging loose and plaster scattered across a darkened hallway.

Residents describe panic as buildings shook

Many residents were at home when the earthquakes struck, as the day was a public holiday. Several described a sudden shift from a normal evening to violent shaking. In high-rise buildings, people ran down stairwells while others waited outside, afraid that aftershocks would bring down already damaged structures.

“The building really shook from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” Caracas resident Roberto Damas said. “We were walking and it was tossing us around. Everything in the apartment fell. Well, thank God we were able to get out.”

Another resident, Astrid Ramirez, said people began screaming as soon as the shaking started. Coro Martinez, from eastern Caracas, described hearing a loud crash as items fell inside the house. An elderly resident in southern Caracas said police helped her leave her home after the tremors.

The USGS’s preliminary impact estimate warned that “high casualties and extensive damage are probable” and that the disaster was likely widespread. Such alerts are based on earthquake magnitude, depth, population exposure and local vulnerability, and are often updated as more field information becomes available.

Why shallow earthquakes can be more destructive

Earthquake depth matters because shallow quakes release energy closer to the surface. That can make shaking stronger in nearby cities, especially where buildings are old, poorly maintained or not designed to withstand strong seismic movement. Caracas has many densely populated neighbourhoods, including hillside communities where access for rescue teams can be difficult.

Venezuela has experienced damaging earthquakes before. Caracas was hit by a deadly magnitude 6.3 earthquake in 1967, an event still remembered by older residents. The country lies near the boundary of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, making parts of the northern coast vulnerable to seismic activity.

Officials are expected to focus first on rescue operations, hospital capacity, road access and checks on critical infrastructure. Airports, ports, hospitals, bridges, power supply and communications networks are usually assessed quickly after a major quake, as damage to any of them can slow emergency response.

Authorities have advised residents to remain in open areas if their buildings show cracks, fallen plaster, tilted walls or other visible damage. People in affected zones have also been urged to avoid using lifts, stay away from unstable structures and keep phone lines available for emergency calls.

The full scale of the disaster is still being assessed. Rescue teams are likely to prioritise collapsed buildings and densely populated districts around Caracas and La Guaira. Updated casualty figures, airport status and infrastructure damage reports are expected as emergency services reach the worst-affected areas.