Buildings collapse, people flee as earthquakes hit Venezuela: VIDEOS

3 min readUpdated: Jun 25, 2026 08:49 AM IST

Two powerful earthquakes hit the Venezuelan capital, Caracas on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday, causing massive damage to buildings. According to the US Geological Survey, the first earthquake hit with magnitude 7.2 near San Felipe, about 284 km west of Caracas at 22:04 local time. It was followed immediately by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake near Yumare, about 293 km west of Caracas.

While no official confirmation about the death toll has been made yet, acting president acting President Delcy Rodríguez extended condolences to the deceased. However, death toll could likely range from 10,000 to 1,00,000, news agency Associated Press reported.


Satellite image shows the epicentre of the earthquakes in Venezuela (Image: USGS) Satellite image shows the epicentre of the earthquakes in Venezuela (Image: USGS)

Acting President of the country Delcy Rodriguez addressed the country shortly after. In a post on X, she wrote: “Attention: shortly I will address Venezuelans to report on the situation following the strong earthquake that has affected our country.”

According to the National Center for Seismology (NCS), the earthquake hit the country at a shallow depth of 15km. Videos of the moments when the twin earthquakes struck Venezuela showed people fleeing for safety. However, not everyone managed to escape in time and many were trapped under the debris.

Rescue workers search through the rubble of a collapsed building for survivors after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) Rescue workers search through the rubble of a collapsed building for survivors after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos)

EQ of M: 6.8, On: 25/06/2026 03:34:32 IST, Lat: 10.451 N, Long: 68.352 W, Depth: 15 Km, Location: Venezuela.
For more information Download the BhooKamp App https://t.co/5gCOtjdtw0 @DrJitendraSingh @OfficeOfDrJS @DrNKalaiselvi @GSuresh_NCS @ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/IpWR9cQ76n

— National Center for Seismology (@NCS_Earthquake) June 24, 2026

USGS: Venezuela’s devastating earthquake sequence has been identified as a “doublet event.”

A magnitude 7.2 foreshock struck first, followed just 39 seconds later by a more powerful magnitude 7.5 mainshock, significantly increasing the destructive impact across affected… pic.twitter.com/Jzf7xc6YUw

— WorldAxisIndia (@WorldAxisIndia) June 25, 2026

Fires have now begun to erupt within the rubble of collapsed building in the Northern Venezuelan coastal city of La Guaira, resulting from damage caused to gas lines from tonight’s twin earthquakes near Caracas. pic.twitter.com/bRkEtsuYvl

— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) June 25, 2026

The Express Global Desk at indianexpress.com which delivers authoritative, verified, and context-driven coverage of key international developments shaping global politics, policy, and migration trends. The desk focuses on stories with direct relevance for Indian and global audiences, combining breaking news with in-depth explainers and analysis.

A major focus area of the desk is US immigration and visa policy, including developments related to student visas, work permits, permanent residency pathways, executive actions, and court rulings. The Global Desk also closely tracks Canada’s immigration, visa, and study policies, covering changes to study permits, post-study work options, permanent residence programmes, and regulatory updates affecting migrants and international students.

All reporting from the Global Desk adheres to The Indian Express’ editorial standards, relying on official data, government notifications, court documents, and on-record sources. The desk prioritises clarity, accuracy, and accountability, ensuring readers can navigate complex global systems with confidence.

Core Team

The Express Global Desk is led by a team of experienced journalists and editors with deep expertise in international affairs and migration policy:

Aniruddha Dhar – Senior Assistant Editor with extensive experience in global affairs, international politics, and editorial leadership.

Nischai Vats – Deputy Copy Editor specialising in US politics, US visa and immigration policy, and policy-driven international coverage.

Mashkoora Khan – Sub-editor focusing on global developments, with a strong emphasis on Canada visa, immigration, and study-related policy coverage. … Read More

Stay updated with the latest – Click here to follow us on Instagram