The powerful back-to-back Venezuela earthquake killed at least 164 people and injured at least 971, Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said, as communities across the South American country sustained damage
Two powerful struck Venezuela earthquake within about a minute of each other on Wednesday (June 24, 2026), causing buildings to collapse and damage in Caracas. The rare back-to-back tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.1 and 7.5, rank among the strongest earthquakes to hit the country in more than a century.
The powerful back-to-back earthquakes killed at least 188 people and injured at least 971, the nation’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said, as communities across the South American country sustained damage.
Offers of help were made by various governments, including the United States, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, Panama and Uruguay.
The earthquakes roiled the region, with buildings evacuated in cities and areas impacted as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) from Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. The earthquakes damaged and closed Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas, the country’s main airport. School classes are to be cancelled for several days, and the Ministry of Education said some school buildings will be used as shelters and donation centers.
1 lakh likely dead in Venezuela quake, Trump offers aid
US President Donald Trump on Wednesday offered immediate American assistance to Venezuela after two massive earthquakes struck the country, with the US government scientists warning the death toll could potentially range from 10,000 to 100,000 people.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump said, “The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths. The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!!”
The warning comes as Venezuelan authorities have released few details about casualties more than five hours after the twin earthquakes struck. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, in a televised address, confirmed fatalities but did not provide an official death toll. State media outlets have also offered limited information on the scale of the destruction.
According to Al Jazeera, the US Geological Survey (USGS) estimated a potential death toll of between 10,000 and 100,000 shortly after the disaster using its Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquake Response (PAGER) system.
Vashan Wright, a geophysicist at the University of California, San Diego, told Al Jazeera that PAGER rapidly analyses factors including earthquake magnitude, depth, location, population density, historical earthquake data and building inventories to estimate likely impacts.
“Essentially, what it does is takes all known knowledge about the magnitude, depth, location, population density, historical earthquakes, and building inventory… and makes a prediction for what might be expected,” Wright said.
He added that, in many cases, the PAGER prediction “is quite close” to the actual toll.
Meanwhile, the United States has begun mobilising emergency assistance for Venezuela. Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance Jeremy Lewin said a disaster assistance team and task force have already been activated to coordinate relief efforts.
In a post on X, Lewin said, “The @StateDept has already mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force to deliver and coordinate critical assistance to the Venezuelan people. Working with our partners in the interim Venezuelan government, the U.S. will be sending search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies and other resources in the crucial first days after this tragic natural disaster.”
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