Venezuela Declares Emergency After Twin Quakes
Last update: June 25, 2026
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Two massive quakes just hours apart have left Venezuela reeling — with collapsed buildings, airport shutdowns, and rescue teams racing against time.
So, Venezuela is officially in crisis mode after getting hit by not one, but two huge earthquakes on Wednesday night. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced a state of emergency in a late-night TV address, calling it an “incident with serious consequences”.
The numbers are pretty scary. The US Geological Survey measured the quakes at magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 — making them some of the strongest tremors anywhere in the world this year. The second one was especially rough, striking just 10km below the surface, which usually means more damage on the ground.
Right now, details on casualties are still thin. Rodríguez said the government’s priority is getting rescue teams out there to search for anyone who might be trapped. In Caracas, TV footage showed buildings down and thick dust clouds where structures had collapsed. Videos doing the rounds on social media also showed damage at Caracas airport, with panicked passengers scrambling for safety as the ground shook.
The fallout has been immediate. School classes are suspended, train services have been halted, and Caracas’ international airport is closed due to damage. Gas supplies have been cut off too, just in case of explosions.
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello didn’t mince words on TV: “We are dealing with an extremely alarming situation.” He confirmed some buildings had collapsed and warned people to take shelter, with aftershocks likely to hit already-weakened structures. The tremors were felt across at least seven states.
The first quake hit at 6:04pm local time (2204 GMT), with its epicentre 24km east of San Felipe in north-western Venezuela, 21.9km deep, according to USGS data. The second, stronger one struck just a few kilometres further north.
Even Nobel Peace Prize laureate and opposition leader María Corina Machado weighed in from abroad. She posted on X: “My heart, my infinite embrace and my prayers go out in these hours of hardship to every Venezuelan family. May strength, calm, and solidarity prevail among us in this difficult time.”
— Reporting by cbinews.tv
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