Venezuela Earthquake: Death Toll Reaches 188 as Rescuers Search Rubble in La Guaira

Rescue teams in Venezuela continued to search for survivors on Thursday (June 25, 2026) after two powerful earthquakes struck the northern coast the previous evening, killing at least 188 people and leaving more than 200 trapped under debris, according to officials.

The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, are among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the first quake struck west of Moron on the Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometers west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometers. A second 7.5-magnitude tremor followed a minute later, with a depth of 10 kilometers and an epicenter 16 kilometers southwest of Moron.

Officials said approximately 1,500 people were injured, and thousands were reported missing. Buildings collapsed in several northern cities, and evacuations extended as far as Brazil’s Amazon region. The coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, suffered the heaviest damage, including the closure of the country’s main airport, which has complicated relief efforts.

In response to the disaster, the U.S. Treasury on Thursday announced a temporary waiver of certain sanctions on Venezuela until October 23, allowing transactions related to earthquake relief that would otherwise be prohibited.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, who took office in January after the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces, declared La Guaira a disaster zone. She appealed to businesses to provide heavy construction equipment for rescue operations. A United Nations spokesperson said search-and-rescue teams are expected to arrive within hours.

Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly and brother of the acting president, provided updated figures for the dead, trapped, and injured. The disaster adds to the challenges facing the Rodríguez administration, which has struggled with economic disarray and political legitimacy concerns.

Geophysicist Marcos Ferreira of the Geological Survey of Brazil explained that the combination of two shallow earthquakes in quick succession amplified the destruction. Venezuela sits near multiple fault lines, but strong earthquakes are less common here than in other parts of Latin America.

International aid offers have poured in, including from the United States, despite the ongoing tensions between the two countries. The coastal region of La Guaira, which experienced a devastating mudslide in 1999 that killed thousands, is once again at the center of a humanitarian crisis.