Venezuelan authorities have reported at least 235 deaths and 4,300 injuries more than 24 hours after two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck mainly Caracas and the nearby state of La Guaira, while search efforts for survivors continue and the government continues to assess the property damage.
There are at least 2,927 affected families, 157 reported missing, 200 people trapped, 250 damaged buildings, and eight affected hospitals, some of which “have had to be evacuated,” according to the government.
Death Toll Rises Following Earthquakes in Venezuela
Scenes like these are unfolding all over Venezuela.❤️🙏 pic.twitter.com/SIpprHtBGB
— Buzz Patterson (@BuzzPatterson) June 26, 2026
In La Guaira alone, more than 100 buildings collapsed, while more than 100 heavy machinery teams continue to be mobilized for rescue efforts to free trapped people, and 11,500 security personnel from various agencies are expected to be deployed this Friday.
Apart from the mobilization announced by the government, thousands of Venezuelan civilians are voluntarily participating in rescue efforts at the affected buildings; they have also organized drives to collect supplies and transport donations to various areas of Caracas and La Guaira.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, visited La Guaira today—considered the epicenter of the devastation—along with Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodríguez, amid a lack of information from the authorities.
International Aid
WELCOME, Mexico, to Venezuela!
Rescue personnel from Mexico arrived in our country, along with supplies, to assist in the search for survivors and provide support to families affected by the earthquakes. pic.twitter.com/te87ZvACvK
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) June 26, 2026
On Thursday night, the state-run channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV) confirmed the arrival in Venezuela of a group of rescue workers from El Salvador and the Dominican Republic as part of the international aid effort for the search operations.
Several countries have announced the deployment of relief personnel to Venezuela, including the United States, where the State Department is working in close coordination with the Pentagon on logistics and transportation.
This is because the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía—located in La Guaira and serving Caracas—was temporarily closed due to damage.
In addition, the United States authorized transactions with Venezuela on Thursday—which are otherwise prohibited by sanctions—provided they are related to “relief efforts” following Wednesday’s earthquakes.
Previously, the U.S. State Department announced in a statement that it was providing $100 million to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Venezuela, and another $50 million for operations on the ground.
Airports in operation, except for the one in Caracas
Someone sent me this video from Maiquetia Airport. Oh my God… pic.twitter.com/sSH0yboQVP
— Said Rahal (@srahalh) June 24, 2026
Venezuela’s international airports—with the exception of Maiquetía, the country’s main airport, which serves Caracas—are operational, Marisela De Loaiza, president of the Venezuelan Airlines Association (ALAV), confirmed to EFE.
Maiquetía Airport was closed on Wednesday due to severe structural damage, prompting some airlines—including Iberia, Air Europa, and Plus Ultra—to cancel their Thursday flights on the Madrid-Caracas route.
Meanwhile, after a brief suspension, the Panamanian airline Copa Airlines resumed its flights to Barquisimeto, Valencia, and Barcelona, but flights to Caracas remained canceled.
Support Networks
🚨‼️🆘 “Having a family member among the brave souls who dare to risk their lives to save others is priceless and truly admirable.”
Even though there was a false tsunami warning, they decided to stay and follow the cries for help, which can still be heard from people who… pic.twitter.com/7TwsttIQjt
— Cristian Crespo F. 🇨🇺 (@cristiancrespoj) June 26, 2026
Venezuelans living in Argentina and Ecuador have set up support networks and digital platforms to try to locate family members and friends who remain unaccounted for following the two earthquakes.
In Venezuela, the Catholic Church called on people to go to collection centers in Caracas and other cities to donate food, medical supplies, clothing, and tools to help those affected.
In recent hours, numerous messages from family members both inside and outside Venezuela regarding missing persons have flooded various social media platforms, while reports of telephone and power outages continue in some of the affected areas.
“Truly terrifying devastation”
After the earthquake in Venezuela, a family was searching for their baby among the rubble. The father, in tears, was calling out to him, and THE BABY CAME CRAWLING OUT.
This is a miracle pic.twitter.com/1F5gZRYDMI
— lorem ipsum (@altashanta) June 25, 2026
The UN Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, Tom Fletcher, told EFE on Thursday that the situation in the areas affected by the two earthquakes is one of “truly terrifying devastation,” while the organization is coordinating the deployment of at least 12 international search-and-rescue teams.
“The situation on the ground is truly terrifying,” Fletcher said in a phone interview with EFE, noting that the agency was already providing humanitarian assistance to some eight million people in Venezuela before the earthquakes.
“The challenge is already a big one. This makes it much, much harder, but our full focus is on this emergency response,” the British diplomat added.
Filed under: Earthquakes in Venezuela, death toll
With information from EFE