Back-to-back powerful earthquakes strike Venezuela, collapsing buildings in Caracas and closing main airport

Jun 24, 2026

On June 24, 2026, back-to-back earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela's northern coast, causing buildings to collapse in Caracas and forcing the closure of Maiquetía Airport. The rare seismic event triggered building evacuations as far away as Colombia and Brazil. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez faced criticism for delayed communication, while international figures like María Corina Machado and Nayib Bukele expressed solidarity amid fears of high casualties.

Venezuela earthquakes

▪The magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck 39 to 40 seconds after the first quake, with its epicenter located near Yumare or Morón.
▪Two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck Venezuela's northern coast in quick succession on June 24, 2026.
▪The magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck near San Felipe, Yaracuy state, at 6:04 p.m. local time on June 24, 2026.

Building collapses in Caracas

▪Venezuela's Maiquetía Airport closed and classes were canceled across several states following the earthquakes on June 24, 2026.
▪At least three buildings partially collapsed in the eastern Caracas neighborhoods of Altamira and Los Palos Grandes following the earthquakes.
▪A building believed to be a bank in Caracas was reduced to ruins, and rescue workers searched for survivors under collapsed structures.

Government communication delays

▪Acting President Delcy Rodríguez faced criticism from politicians and citizens for failing to address the nation within three hours of the earthquakes.
▪Opposition candidate Edmundo González stated on X that the government's lack of immediate reporting on casualties created an extra layer of anguish.

Regional evacuations across borders

▪Buildings were evacuated in the Brazilian Amazonian cities of Manaus, Belém, and Macapá, located up to 1,700 kilometers away from the epicenter.
▪The earthquakes were felt in neighboring Colombia, prompting precautionary evacuations of some buildings in the capital city of Bogotá.

International solidarity messages

▪El Salvador President Nayib Bukele and U.S. Representative María Elvira Salazar expressed solidarity and prayers for the people of Venezuela on social media.
▪Exiled Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado sent prayers and called for strength, serenity, and solidarity among Venezuelans on X.

Venezuela seismic rarity

▪The U.S. Geological Survey issued rare red alerts through its PAGER system, indicating high casualties and widespread economic damage are probable.
▪Strong earthquakes are historically unusual in Venezuela compared to Pacific coast countries like Mexico and Chile along the Pacific Ring of Fire.