Search for – For a third straight day, crews in Venezuela combed through rubble after two magnitude 7 earthquakes struck within seconds of each other, leaving homes collapsed, hospitals damaged, and a death toll that climbed past 235 confirmed deaths.
When the dust settled after two back-to-back earthquakes, the work didn’t stop. On June 26, rescue crews kept searching through the rubble where people had been living only hours earlier—still looking for survivors amid collapsed homes and damaged hospitals.
The quake sequence began on June 24 just after 6 p.m. local time, about 14 miles southeast of Yumare, Venezuela. The first shock measured 7.2 at about 6:04 p.m.; roughly 39 seconds later, a 7.5 earthquake followed. The second quake is considered the mainshock, while the first was a foreshock, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
June 26 marked the third day of operations as international rescue teams arrived to help. The confirmed death toll continued to rise. with Venezuelan officials stating at least 235 people had died and more than 4. 300 were injured—figures authorities expected would keep climbing as crews reached more areas.
Rescue teams also faced the brutal logistics of getting to people trapped beneath debris. Jorge Rodriguez, head of Venezuela’s national assembly, said on June 25 that at least 200 people were trapped.
In La Guaira, one resident described a desperate wait for a family member buried in the aftermath. Yamileth Jimenez told Reuters on June 25 that her 19-year-old son was trapped on the seventh floor of a building in La Guaira. among the worst-affected areas. “He’s under the slabs and there’s no machinery to get him out,” she said.
U.S. involvement was also moving into place as the search continued. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was among the countries planning to send rescue teams.
The damage was immediate and widespread. Homes and buildings collapsed, hospitals were damaged, and debris was strewn through roadways, with aerial footage showing the breadth of destruction across affected areas.
The earthquakes were part of a rare and dangerous pattern in the region. Venezuela sits in a seismically active zone where the Caribbean Plate meets the South American Plate. Northern Venezuela has a history of damaging earthquakes. but USGS data cited in reporting shows only seven earthquakes of magnitude 6.0 or higher in the last century in the immediate area of the June 24 quakes. In broader northern Venezuela—or near its coast—there have been five earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or greater since 1900.
USGS said the mainshock on June 24 was the most powerful earthquake in the region’s history since 1900, when a 7.7 struck near Caracas. The June 24 event was classified as a doublet: two similar-magnitude earthquakes that occur close in time and location.
As the search expanded, officials worked to account for the dead and missing. As of June 25, Venezuelan officials put the official death toll at 235. The figure was tied to deaths recorded at medical centers. according to Health Minister Carlos Alvarado. and authorities had not provided a total casualty estimate. The USGS said its data predicted a toll that could reach into the thousands.
Spain confirmed three of its citizens died in the quakes. It also said four citizens were known to be trapped in rubble, while 99 were unaccounted for.
The sequence of events has left rescuers racing against time for people still buried under the debris. With crews continuing their search overnight on June 26 and international teams arriving to help. the human stakes have been clear from the beginning—one moment the ground is still. the next it changes everything. and then the search begins again. block by block. looking for any sign of life.
Venezuela earthquakes June 24 magnitude 7.2 magnitude 7.5 Yumare La Guaira Marco Rubio Jorge Rodriguez Carlos Alvarado U.S. Geological Survey rescue teams international aid death toll