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Earthquakes

Photos reveal widespread destruction from Venezuela earthquakes

Portrait of Julia Gomez Julia Gomez
USA TODAY
June 25, 2026, 8:37 a.m. ET

Two earthquakes rocked Venezuela leaving deadly destruction in its wake and triggering a tsunami advisory in the Caribbean.

On Wednesday, June 25, the first earthquake, a magnitude 7.2, occurred at around 6:00 p.m. local time near San Felipe, a small town about 168 miles west of Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, near the country's central-northwest coast, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Then, 39 seconds later, a second earthquake, magnitude 7.5, hit the area again.

The earthquakes were so powerful that Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were placed under a Tsunami Advisory, according to the National Weather Service's U.S. Tsunami Warning System.

Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez confirmed that at least 164 people are dead, and 700 more were injured as buildings collapsed during the quakes, reported Reuters. The death toll is expected to be in the thousands, with USGS estimating that over 10,000 fatalities are possible.

June 24 is also considered a public holiday, and celebrates the battle that won Venezuela its independence from Spain, so many were at home when the quakes occurred, Reuters reported.

Photos document Venezuela earthquakes aftermath, destruction

A damaged building at Los Palos Grandes after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean on June 24, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela. According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the main earthquake was followed by a 7.5-magnitude aftershock less than a minute later; although some buildings collapsed, the number of victims remains unknown.
A person looks on near rubble at the site of a collapsed building in Caracas, Venezuela, on June 24, after two earthquakes strike near the area.
A person flashes light from his cell phone at a destroyed building after the earthquakes, in La Guaira, Venezuela, June 24, 2026.
People stand at the site of a collapsed building on Thursday, June 25, after earthquakes near Caracas, Venezuela, are estimated to have caused thousands of fatalities.
A car under the rubble of a building in the aftermath of earthquakes, in Caraballeda, La Guaira on June 24, 2026.

Contributing: Reuters

Julia Gomez is a Trending reporter for USA TODAY and covers space phenomena, scientific studies and natural disasters. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at [email protected].

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