Two successive earthquakes rocked Venezuela on Wednesday evening, leaving at least 188 people dead and hundreds missing, and triggering a state of emergency and tsunami warnings.
The first earthquake had a magnitude of 7.2, while the second, which followed in under a minute, had a magnitude of 7.5—the strongest to hit the country in over a century, according to U.S. Geological Survey data. The epicenter of the first quake was roughly 100 miles west of the capital in Caracas, while the second was located just under four miles east, about 19 miles away from the coastal town of Morón.
The disaster has caused extensive damage around the Latin American country. Buildings in Caracas collapsed, the country’s main international airport suffered “serious damage,” forcing it to close, and the state of La Guaira has been transformed into a “disaster zone,” among the widespread destruction, said Acting President Delcy Rodríguez. The death toll and the extent of the reported damage are expected to rise as rescuers search heavily affected areas.
Outpourings of support and condolences came from Venezuela’s neighbors and leaders around the world in the wake of the quakes.
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help!” wrote President Donald Trump on Truth Social Wednesday night. “I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends.”
People stand in the rubble near a damaged building following an earthquake in Catia La Mar, the state of La Guaira early on June 25, 2026. —Federico Parra—AFP/Getty ImagesRescue workers search through the rubble of a collapsed building in the Altamira neighborhood following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. —Federico Parra—AFP/Getty ImagesA man carries a mattress past damaged residential buildings following an earthquake in Catia La Mar, the state of La Guaira on June 25, 2026. —Federico Parra—AFP/Getty ImagesA view of debris as rescue teams continue searching the rubble of a collapsed building for survivors in the San Bernardino neighborhood of Caracas, Venezuela, on June 25, 2026. —Diko Betancourt—Anadolu/Getty ImagesA woman walks past a building damaged during an earthquake in the state of La Guaira, Venezuela on June 25, 2026. —Pedro Mattey—APPeople run into a street following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. —Federico Parra—AFP/Getty ImagesA man walks among the rubble of a building that collapsed in earthquakes the previous day in the state of La Guaira, Venezuela on June 25, 2026. —Pedro Mattey—APPeople gather as emergency workers and residents search for victims after earthquakes, in the state of La Guaira, Venezuela on June 25, 2026. —Maxwell Briceno—ReutersEvacuated people speak by phone waiting at Parque Central urban development complex in Caracas, Venezuela on June 24, 2026. —Jesus Vargas—Getty ImagesMen walk among rubble after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela on June 24, 2026. —Pedro Mattey—APFirst responders evacuate a person by ambulance at a damaged building site at Los Palos Grandes in Caracas, Venezuela on June 24, 2026. —Edilzon Gamez—Getty ImagesA man climbs out from a damaged apartment building in Catia La Mar, the state of La Guaira on June 25, 2026. —Federico Parra—AFP/Getty ImagesNeighbors gather outside a shop that has power after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela on June 24, 2026. —Adrian Naranjo—AP
