Powerful twin earthquakes rock Venezuela, triggering emergency response

Two powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, ripped through northern Venezuela less than a minute apart, collapsing buildings and forcing evacuations in Caracas and other cities. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency.

The U.S. Geological Survey catalog shows the second tremor, a magnitude 7.5, was the strongest to strike Venezuela or its immediate coastal area in more than 100 years. The first quake was centered near Venezuela’s Caribbean coast west of Morón, and the pair struck in unusually close succession both in time and location. The shaking was felt far beyond the capital, reaching parts of Brazil’s Amazon and sending residents into the streets in cities across northern Venezuela.

Rodríguez said Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas had been damaged, while subway service and natural gas service in Caracas were disrupted or canceled. Schools were turned into shelters and collection centers for affected families. The International Rescue Committee launched emergency aid operations as crews moved to assess the damage.

The quakes hit on the public holiday marking Venezuela’s 1821 victory at the Battle of Carabobo. Officials warned the toll could rise as damage reports came in from collapsing structures and strained infrastructure.

Venezuela’s north has faced repeated seismic shocks. In September 2025, a doublet of magnitude 6.2 and 6.3 earthquakes hit the region, causing severe damage, at least one death and more than 100 injuries. Five major earthquakes have struck northern Venezuela over the last century, including a magnitude 7.2 offshore event in 2018, with those disasters responsible for more than 400 deaths.