Deadly twin earthquakes strike Venezuela, leaving hundreds trapped and missing

Two powerful earthquakes shook Venezuela less than a minute apart on June 24, leaving buildings damaged in Caracas and La Guaira, closing Simón Bolívar International Airport and forcing the interim government to declare a state of emergency. The U.S. Geological Survey described the pair as a rare seismic doublet, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and the stronger quake centered near Morón and Yumare on the country’s northern coast, west of Caracas.

The death toll climbed sharply as rescuers searched collapsed structures and cut through debris. Early counts put the number of dead at 164, but later reports raised that total to about 235, with injuries reaching roughly 4,300 and many people still trapped or unaccounted for. The shaking was felt beyond Venezuela, including in neighboring Colombia and parts of Brazil’s Amazon region, underscoring the breadth of the event.

The disaster struck a country already under extreme political strain after the removal of Nicolás Maduro, deepening questions about who is in command and how quickly the state can respond. Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s interim president, declared the state of emergency as nearly two dozen aftershocks rattled the same region and emergency crews faced the kind of logistical breakdown that can slow evacuations, hospital transfers and the distribution of food, fuel and equipment.

Washington moved quickly to signal support. The Trump administration said it would provide disaster assistance, and the State Department mobilized a disaster assistance team and task force to coordinate aid for Venezuelans. The response now hinges on whether the interim authorities can keep transport routes open, restore communications and maintain public trust while the country’s main airport remains closed and rescue operations continue.

For Venezuela, the twin quakes marked the strongest earthquake event in more than a century, a natural disaster layered on top of a political crisis that has already weakened institutions and fractured chains of command. With hundreds still missing and aftershocks continuing, the immediate test is not only how many lives can be saved, but whether the state can still function when the country needs it most.