- By Ajeet Kumar
- Thu, 25 Jun 2026 03:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
- Powerful 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck Venezuela.
- At least 32 confirmed dead, thousands feared, 7,381 missing.
- La Guaira declared disaster zone, widespread destruction reported.
A pair of powerful earthquakes rocked Venezuela, tearing down buildings, closing the country’s main airport and sending panicked residents of the capital pouring into the streets. At least 164 have died, the acting president said Thursday, warning that the toll was expected to rise. She said more than 970 have been injured.
The USGS, using predictive modeling to estimate the death toll, said it would most likely run into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000.
(CREDIT: REUTERS)
The casualty figures she released early Thursday — including at least 700 injured — excluded La Guaira, which sits north of Caracas on the coast, and so the numbers are expected to rise.
(CREDIT: REUTERS)
Footage on state TV showed three children, covered in dust but alive, pulled from the rubble in La Guaira state, which Acting President Delcy Rodriguez described as a “disaster zone” and the area hardest hit by Wednesday evening’s 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes.
(CREDIT: REUTERS)
A website set up to track missing people and posted on X by leaders from the country's opposition, many of whom are in exile, had 7,381 people listed as unaccounted for at around 2:45 a.m. Caracas (0645 GMT).
(CREDIT: REUTERS)
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged people to remain outside as aftershocks could further damage structures, and many people stayed on the streets for hours, some sitting on the ground hugging pets as dust gathered around them. Others spent the night in parked cars, subway stations and other public places.
ALSO READ: Why Powerful Earthquakes Are So Unusual In Venezuela; Science Behind The 'Rare' Quake
(CREDIT: REUTERS)
The quakes, among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century, could be felt throughout the region, with buildings evacuated in places as far away as Brazil’s Amazon, about 1,700 kilometers (1,050 miles) from Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.
(CREDIT: REUTERS)
While Venezuela sits near multiple fault lines, its position straddling the South American and Caribbean plates makes strong earthquakes much less common than in other parts of Latin America.
(With inputs from agencies)
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