Venezuela quake toll rises after twin M7+ shocks

Thursday, June 25, 2026Developing

World Desk

What we know

Rescue crews worked through Thursday after two powerful back-to-back earthquakes — magnitude 7.2 then 7.5 — struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday evening, collapsing buildings in and around Caracas and coastal La Guaira and damaging Simón Bolívar International Airport.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency, reported dozens of aftershocks, and said national rescue teams were being concentrated on the hardest-hit zones. Official tallies moved upward through the day: early Thursday figures cited at least 164 dead and roughly 971 injured; later National Assembly and international wire updates put the confirmed toll at least 188 dead and more than 1,500 injured, with hundreds still feared trapped. The U.S. Geological Survey warned high casualties and extensive damage were probable.

What's confirmed

USGS: M7.2 foreshock followed within about a minute by M7.5 mainshock near Venezuela’s Caribbean coast Wednesday evening; among strongest in Venezuela in more than a century (AP/ABC/Xinhua).
Rodríguez: state of emergency; early Thursday toll at least 164 dead / ~971 injured; airport closed; reconstruction fund announced (AP/Bloomberg/Xinhua).
Later Jun 25 updates: National Assembly / Al Jazeera / Reuters reporting at least 188 dead and 1,500+ injured as search continued (Al Jazeera/Reuters).
Damage heaviest in La Guaira and Greater Caracas; UN-certified rescue teams en route; international condolences and aid offers reported (AP/Al Jazeera).

What's still developing

Final casualty counts as rubble searches continue in remote and heavily damaged districts.
Scale of structural damage, airport reopening timeline, and delivery of international rescue and medical aid.

Sources

AP / GBH — 2 powerful quakes hit Venezuela, killing at least 164 and injuring nearly 1,000 link
ABC News (Australia) — Venezuela earthquakes: at least 164 killed and 971 injured link
Al Jazeera — Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 188 people, injure 1,520 link
Xinhua — Death toll from powerful Venezuela earthquakes rises to 164 link