On the night of June 23, 2026, two consecutive powerful earthquakes struck western Venezuela, triggering a major humanitarian crisis that has already left at least 32 people dead and more than 700 others injured, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed in an official statement early Thursday.
According to data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the first tremor, registering a magnitude of 7.1, hit at 22:04 GMT, just 60 seconds before a stronger 7.5-magnitude aftershock followed. Both seismic events originated near the coastal town of Moron, roughly 160 kilometers west of the capital Caracas, at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. Seismologists note that shallow quakes of this magnitude typically produce far more severe destructive effects on built infrastructure and human populations than deeper events of the same strength.
Rodriguez confirmed that the northern coastal state of La Guaira sustained the worst damage, with dozens of structures fully collapsed, labeling the region a full “disaster zone” in her address on Venezuelan state television. She added that the current casualty count of 32 fatalities and 700 injuries does not yet include impact data from La Guaira, as widespread connectivity outages have cut off communication with hard-hit areas of the state, meaning the final death toll is expected to rise as rescue teams reach cut-off communities.
In response to the disaster, the Venezuelan government has declared a national state of emergency, activating full-scale search and rescue operations across affected regions. A series of emergency public safety measures have also rolled out: all school activities nationwide have been suspended indefinitely, with educational facilities repurposed as supply collection centers and temporary emergency shelters for displaced residents. Public transit including the Caracas Metro and the Caracas-Miranda railway line has been temporarily halted as a precaution, and all non-essential government and private activities have been canceled for the remainder of the week. The nation’s entire public and private health network has also been activated, with priority placed on treating injured residents in the most affected regions.
As rescue efforts ramp up, the Venezuelan government has welcomed international support, with international rescue teams expected to arrive on the ground within hours. Qatar has already dispatched rescue personnel scheduled to arrive in the country by Friday, with additional teams from Mexico and El Salvador also en route. Multiple nations have quickly pledged humanitarian support: Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa has ordered immediate delivery of emergency aid supplies, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated India stands prepared to provide all possible assistance, and a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson confirmed Thursday that China will deliver all feasible support tailored to Venezuela’s on-the-ground needs.