Rescuers race to find survivors as Venezuela reels from massive quakes: Everything we know so far

Here is the latest breaking news from around the world: Rescuers race to find survivors as Venezuela reels from massive quakes: Everything we know so farByHarry SekulichPublished25 June 2026, 03:33 BSTUpdated 43 minutes agoByJoel Guinto Figure caption, Watch: Moment earthquake hits Venezuela and leaves buildings collapsedTwo powerful earthquakes shook the Venezuelan capital of Caracas seconds apart, with the second quake - a magnitude 7. 5 - one of the strongest tremors to hit the South American country in a century. Buildings collapsed and residents rushed to the streets for safety as the quakes struck.

Venezeula's interim president Delcy Rodríguez has declared a state of emergency and said airport, rail and transport services have been paused. There are fears of casualties and extensive damage but there is no information on either at this point. Rescuers are racing to find survivors who may be trapped under rubble.

The Details

Here's what we know so far. Where and when did the quakes hit? Both earthquakes shook Venezuela's populous capital city of Caracas around 18:04 local time (22:04 GMT).

The first was magnitude 7. 2 and struck the state of Yaracuy, west of Caracas, at a depth of 22km, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS) monitoring agency. Thity-nine seconds later, a stronger magnitude 7.

5 earthquake struck nearby at a depth of about 10km. The epicentres were both outside the capital, but were felt strongly across the city, with buildings shaking and some collapsing. Tremors were felt as far away as the Colombian capital Bogotá, more than 1,000 km (630 miles) away.

What Experts Say

More than 20 aftershocks have since been felt across Venezuela, largely affecting the country's northern coastline, including La Guaira, Aragua, Carabobo and Falcón. The quakes hit while the country was celebrating a national holiday, commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, a decisive victory by Venezuelan independence leader Simón Bolívar against the Spanish colonial power. Powerful back-to-back earthquakes strike Venezuela, collapsing buildings in Caracas What damage was caused?

Image source, via Getty ImagesImage caption, Rescuers search for survivors the ruins of a building in Caracas, Venezuela. The full extent of the damage is still to be assessed, but photos and videos show debris strewn on the streets, while rescuers dig through the rubble of collapsed buildings to locate survivors. In some footage, people can be heard calling for help.

President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, which allows extra resources and personnel to be used for recovery efforts. In an address to the nation, she expressed her "immediate condolences" to those killed in the quakes, although she did not specify how many people had died. The mayor of Chacao, Gustavo Duque Saez, told reporters that at least two buildings in this municipality - which forms part of the greater metropolitan area of Caracas - have completely collapsed.

The story has become one of the most prominent items on the global agenda.