Key facts
- Two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck Venezuela.
- Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency.
- Over 180 people died and 1,500 were injured, with thousands reported missing.
- Buildings collapsed in Caracas and the coastal region of La Guaira.
- Simón Bolívar International Airport was closed due to damage.
Two powerful earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck Venezuela's northern coast within seconds of each other, an event known as a 'doublet.' The deadly tremors toppled buildings in the capital, Caracas, and the coastal region of La Guaira, causing widespread damage and resulting in over 180 deaths and 1,500 injuries, with thousands reported missing. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and closed Simón Bolívar International Airport due to significant damage.
The earthquakes occurred along the Bocono fault, a complex fault structure where the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates meet. This type of shallow strike-slip faulting involves blocks of rock sliding horizontally past one another. While not as common as typical main shocks followed by smaller aftershocks, doublets can happen anywhere and indicate complex fault structures.
Venezuela has experienced significant earthquakes in the past, including a 6.6 magnitude quake in 1967 that killed hundreds and a doublet of magnitudes 6.2 and 6.3 in 2025. Scientists cannot predict earthquakes, but aftershocks are common, with the USGS estimating a 99% chance of at least one magnitude 4 aftershock within the next week. Venezuela does not have an early earthquake warning system.