By The Daily Caller (World News) | Created at 2026-06-25 04:55:58 | Updated at 2026-06-25 05:57:14
1 hour ago
Two back-to-back earthquakes struck north-central Venezuela Wednesday afternoon, prompting fears of mass casualties and widespread destruction.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reported that a 7.2 magnitude earthquake shook the region west of the community of Morón, located along the country’s Caribbean coast, followed by a larger 7.5-magnitude earthquake just 39 seconds later.
Devastating footage showed collapsed buildings as rescuers scrambled to find survivors.
“There is a 40% chance of more than 10,000 fatalities following both earthquakes,” the USGS reported on their website.
“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread.”
The USGS noted that “Past red alerts have required a national or international response.”
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency in the affected region and confirmed that fatalities had occurred, though she did not disclose the number of casualties, according to CNN. She also reported that Maiquetia’s Simón Bolívar International Airport was closed after sustaining damage.
People gather on a street next to a damaged car and building following an earthquake in Valencia, Venezuela on June 24, 2026. Two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck the same area of Venezuela on the evening of June 24, causing buildings to collapse, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and AFP journalists. The quakes drove residents of the capital, Caracas, into the streets. (Photo by Jacinto OLIVEROS / AFP via Getty Images)
Rodríguez told the press that hundreds of emergency responders had been mobilized as rescue efforts intensified across the affected region.
A Caracas resident who survived after escaping a damaged building told CNN “The scene was like a horror movie.”
Resident Amparo Díaz told CNN en Español she felt “a roar coming from the ground,” as panic set in.
“The walls were moving, and I felt as if I were in water,” Díaz said. She told the outlet she lay on the floor of her fourth floor apartment and prayed for her life as the walls cracked all around her.
“The kitchen collapsed,” she said.
She told CNN, “The living room wall is about to fall; one more movement and it will come down.”
The US stands with the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of this evening’s devastating earthquakes. We’re in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance. May God bless our Venezuelan friends at this difficult moment. ¡Fuerza Venezuela! ¡Estamos con Ustedes! 🇺🇸🙏🇻🇪
— Christopher Landau (@DeputySecState) June 25, 2026
Images and videos of the devastating aftermath of the twin earthquakes are now flooding social media, offering a stark glimpse into the destruction left behind.
Amis the crisis, US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau expressed solidarity with Venezuelans and pledged support.
CARACAS, VENEZUELA – JUNE 24: Firefighters and responders search for victims in a demolished building at San Bernardino after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean on June 24, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the main earthquake was followed by a 7.5-magnitude aftershock less than a minute later; although some buildings collapsed, the number of victims remains unknown. (Photo by Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
“We’re in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance,” he wrote Wednesday on X. (RELATED: Oliver Tree Dead In Mid-Air Helicopter Crash At Age 32)
“May God bless our Venezuelan friends at this difficult moment.”
This story continues to develop.
