Two massive earthquakes, a magnitude 7.2 and a magnitude 7.5 striking within 39 seconds, rocked Venezuela on June 24, 2026, causing widespread devastation and a reported 32 deaths with over 700 injuries. The quakes were the strongest to hit the nation in more than a century.
First responders attend a damaged building in Los Palos Grandes, Caracas, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and the Caribbean on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Rescue efforts in Caracas faced collapsed buildings as authorities declared a state of emergency. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez urged calm while confirming the casualty toll.
Rescue workers search through the rubble after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Javier Campos)
The U.S. Geological Survey issued a rare red alert, warning of high casualties and extensive damage. The epicenters were near San Felipe and Yumare.
Rescuers search for victims in a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. (Manaure Quintero / AFP via Getty Images)
President Donald Trump, in a Truth Social post, said the quakes had left "a devastating number of deaths" and ordered all U.S. agencies to prepare assistance. He called Venezuela "our new and great friends."
An ambulance drives through the street at Parque Central urban development complex in Caracas, Venezuela, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the region on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau confirmed American officials were in contact with Venezuelan authorities and mobilizing aid.
Emergency services work at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. (REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
The State Department extended condolences and urged U.S. citizens to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.