Why Venezuela’s 7+ Magnitude Earthquakes Are Being Called a Once-in-100-Years Event

Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within minutes on Wednesday evening, shaking Caracas and several coastal states, damaging buildings and prompting tsunami alerts across parts of the Caribbean. The back-to-back tremors, measured by the U.S. Geological Survey at magnitudes 7.1 and 7.5, are among the strongest reported in Venezuela in more than a century.

The first earthquake hit shortly after 6 p.m. local time, with its epicentre west of Morón, a community on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast about 168 kilometres west of Caracas. The USGS placed it at a depth of 22 kilometres. A stronger 7.5-magnitude quake followed about a minute later, shallower at 10 kilometres, with its epicentre 16 kilometres southwest of Morón.

Venezuela earthquake latest update: Damage reported in Caracas

In Caracas, residents rushed out of swaying apartment blocks, offices, restaurants and shops as the shaking intensified. Witnesses described scenes of panic after walls collapsed in parts of the capital, exposing furniture and interiors to the street. Dust columns rose from at least two neighbourhoods, while people stayed outside after sunset, fearing further tremors.

Some residents sat on pavements with pets and belongings as emergency services moved through affected areas. The full scale of damage was not immediately clear, but early reports from Caracas pointed to damaged homes, cracked structures and blocked streets in some localities. Authorities urged motorists to keep routes open for ambulances and rescue vehicles.

Caracas resident Hector Ricci described a gradual build-up before the shaking became severe. “It started off gently and then gradually grew, and in the end, we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather together,” he said. Another resident, Roberto Gamas, said the force was strong enough to throw people off balance.

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

Government warns of aftershocks and rescue delays

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said the earthquake was felt across several states and that the Altamira neighbourhood in Caracas had reported “alarming situations” involving collapsed homes and buildings. He indicated that people had been injured, though official casualty figures were not immediately available.

Cabello said emergency teams were following established protocols to coordinate rescue and aid operations. “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,” he said on state television.

He also urged residents to remain alert and check on vulnerable people. “Be very careful with children and the elderly; call each other and check that no one has been harmed,” Cabello said. Authorities asked people not to re-enter visibly damaged buildings because aftershocks could weaken already compromised structures.

That warning is significant because shallow earthquakes, such as the second tremor reported near Morón, can cause intense shaking near the surface. Even where buildings remain standing, repeated shaking may damage columns, walls, staircases and utility lines. Emergency officials typically prioritise hospitals, transport corridors, older buildings and densely populated residential zones after such events.

Tsunami alerts issued in parts of the Caribbean

The U.S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center issued a tsunami alert for the Virgin Islands after the earthquakes. Authorities in the Dominican Republic also issued an alert for the island. A separate alert for Puerto Rico was lifted quickly, easing immediate concern there.

Tsunami alerts are issued when a strong undersea or coastal earthquake could displace large volumes of water. Not every major earthquake produces a tsunami, and the risk depends on the quake’s depth, fault movement and location. Still, Caribbean authorities generally move quickly because many coastal communities have limited time to respond if waves are generated.

For Venezuela, the immediate danger remained the condition of buildings and infrastructure in the strongest shaking zones. Earthquakes of magnitude 7 and above can cause severe damage, especially where construction standards vary, older structures are common or emergency access is restricted by debris and traffic.

Why strong earthquakes are unusual in Venezuela

Venezuela is not free from seismic risk, but major earthquakes are less frequent there than along Latin America’s Pacific coast. The country lies near the boundary of the Caribbean and South American plates, with several active faults. However, it is not part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, the highly active seismic belt that affects countries such as Chile and Mexico.

The Pacific Ring of Fire is associated with most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic activity. Venezuela’s risk comes from a different tectonic setting, where plate interaction still creates stress along faults. That makes powerful earthquakes possible, even if they are rarer and often less expected by the wider public.

The rarity of such strong shaking can increase danger because residents may have less recent experience with evacuation, aftershock risk and building safety checks. In crowded urban areas, falling masonry, broken glass, damaged stairwells and panic on roads can become immediate hazards after the main quake.

Authorities are expected to focus next on search-and-rescue operations, medical response, structural inspections and restoring essential services. The most urgent advice for residents remains to stay away from damaged buildings, avoid unnecessary travel, keep phone lines clear where possible and follow official emergency instructions as aftershocks continue to pose a risk.