Rescuers carry a person on a stretcher out of a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas. [Juan Barreto/AFP]
By AFP and AP25 Jun 2026
At least 32 people have been killed and more than 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela, collapsing buildings, shutting the country’s main airport and sending residents fleeing into the streets, authorities say.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency late on Wednesday after quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 hit within a minute of each other near the coastal town of Moron, about 170km west of Caracas. Rodriguez warned early on Thursday that the death toll was expected to rise as rescuers searched collapsed structures and attempted to reach remote areas.
The twin quakes are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in more than a century, in a country where major seismic events are relatively rare compared with other parts of Latin America.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared a state of emergency, warning that the toll will rise as rescuers search collapsed buildings and reach hard-hit coastal communities. [Juan Barreto/AFP]Survivors gather in the streets of Caracas after twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 strike Venezuela, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 700. [Pedro Mattey/AP Photo]The state of La Guaira has become a disaster zone, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said. [Federico Parra/AFP]Families spend the night outside damaged homes, some without power or phone signals, huddling with neighbours and pets as aftershocks continue to rattle the earthquake-prone but rarely hit country. [Adrian Naranjo/AP Photo]A firefighter rescues a dog from a building that collapsed after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela. [Pedro Mattey/AP Photo]Survivors describe the terror of the twin jolts, saying the floor “moved like waves” and that the second, stronger quake felt like “a freight train” roaring under their feet. [Pedro Mattey/AP Photo]As aftershocks continue and the full extent of the disaster emerges, grieving families, strained emergency services and a fragile state confront one of Venezuela’s worst natural catastrophes in decades. [Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo]Officials urge calm but ask people to remain outside vulnerable structures, warning that aftershocks could trigger new collapses in already weakened buildings across multiple Venezuelan states. [Juan Barreto/AFP]Neighbours help a man evacuate from his damaged home after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela. [Pedro Mattey/AP Photo]
