2026 Venezuela earthquakes
 | This article documents a current event and may change rapidly. (June 2026) |
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| UTC time | 2026-06-24 22:04:33 |
|---|---|
| 2026-06-24 22:05:11 | |
| USGS-ANSS | ComCat |
| ComCat | |
| Local date | 24 June 2026 |
| Local time | 18:04:33 VET (UTC-4) |
| 18:05:11 VET (UTC-4) | |
| Magnitude | Mw 7.2 |
| Mw 7.5 | |
| Depth | 21.9 km (14 mi) |
| 10 km (6 mi) | |
| Epicenter | 10°24′25″N 68°29′35″W / 10.407°N 68.493°W |
| Type | Strike-slip |
| Max. intensity | MMI IX (Violent) |
| Aftershocks | 6+ |
| Casualties | 5+ injuries, multiple trapped |
On 24 June 2026, a Mw 7.2 foreshock struck western Venezuela shortly before being followed up by a Mw 7.5 mainshock about 40 seconds later.
Tectonic setting
[edit]In northern Venezuela, the Caribbean plate and South American plate interact along a complex plate boundary called the Boconó-Morón-El Pilar Fault System. It is a complex series of right-lateral strike-slip faults that developed in the late Tertiary, and forms part of the transform plate boundary in the southern Caribbean. This fault runs 1,300 km (810 mi) along northern Venezuela, from the central Venezuelan Andes, through its north-central and northeastern coast, and towards Trinidad.[1]
Earthquakes
[edit]
The first shock was an Mww 7.2 earthquake at 22:04 UTC east-northeast of San Felipe at a depth of 21.9 km (13.6 mi). It was caused by either left-lateral strike-slip faulting on an east-west trending fault, or right-lateral strike-slip faulting on a north-south striking fault.[2]
Thirty-nine seconds later, a Mww 7.5 shock struck north of the foreshock, southeast of Yumare, at a depth of 10 km (6.2 mi). Both earthquakes were in Veroes municipality, Yaracuy state. This earthquake was caused by either right-lateral strike-slip faulting on an east-west trending fault, or left-lateral strike-slip faulting on a north-south striking fault. The USGS said that it likely ruptured along fault with slip confined to a 150 by 20 km (93 by 12 mi) area.[3]
A tsunami alert was issued for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands following the earthquake,[4] but was later retreated.[5]
Six aftershocks were felt in Caracas within two hours of the mainshock.[6]
Shaking was also felt across northern Brazil, including in Manaus and Belém.[7]
Impact
[edit]The number of casualties is currently unknown with search and rescue operations ongoing.[8][9]
In Caracas, multiple buildings in collapsed while others were heavily damaged.[10] Five people were injured in Caracas, at least two from a building collapse.[11][12][13][14] Multiple other people were reportely trapped underneath rubble from a building collapse.[12] Dozens of other buildings reportedly collapsed across Caracas,[6] including a bank.[15] Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said that the Los Palos Grandes and Altamira municipalities were the worst-affected parts of the city.[16] In an unspecified area in southeastern Caracas, almost all high-rise buildings were heavily damaged or destroyed, with many of them collapsing.[6]
Simón Bolívar International Airport was damaged, and all flights departing from or arriving there were canceled.[6]
Buildings also collapsed in Trujillo, Carabobo, Aragua, Miranda and La Guaira.[6]
Estimations of losses
[edit]For the mainshock, the USGS Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) service estimated a 39% probability of economic losses between US$10 billion and US$100 billion, and a 30% probability of economic losses exceeding US$100 billion; upper estimates of economic losses amount to up to 20% of Venezuela's GDP.[citation needed] The service also estimated a 44% probability of deaths between 10,000 and 100,000, and a 30% probability of deaths exceeding 100,000.[3]
Response
[edit]Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello said that "several" states were impacted.[16] The government ordered the gas supply turned off in order to avoid explosions in collapsed buildings in Caracas.[17]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Schubert, Carlos (1984). "Basin formation along the Bocono-Moron-El Pilar Fault System, Venezuela". Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 89 (B7): 5711–5718. Bibcode:1984JGR....89.5711S. doi:10.1029/JB089iB07p05711.
- ^ ANSS. "M 7.2 - 24 km ENE of San Felipe, Venezuela 2026". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ a b ANSS. "M 7.5 - 16 km SW of Morón, Venezuela 2026". Comprehensive Catalog. U.S. Geological Survey.
- ^ "Strong earthquake rocks Venezuela capital". Reuters. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ https://x.com/nws/status/2069927772042981445?s=61
- ^ a b c d e "El terremoto en Venezuela, en vivo - Decenas de edificios derrumbados en Caracas". El País (in Spanish). 24 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ^ Helena Barra; Thiago Félix; Tayana Narcisa (24 June 2026). "Moradores relatam tremor em Manaus e Belém; terremoto atingiu a Venezuela" [Residents report tremors in Manaus and Belém; an earthquake struck Venezuela]. CNN Brazil (in Portuguese). Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ^ "Powerful back-to-back earthquakes strike Venezuela, collapsing buildings in Caracas". BBC News. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ "Major earthquake hits Venezuela; heavy damage reported". BNO News. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ "Un fuerte terremoto de magnitud 7,2 y una réplica de 7,5 sacuden la costa central de Venezuela y causan graves daños en Caracas" [A powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake and a 7.5 magnitude aftershock struck the central coast of Venezuela, causing severe damage in Caracas]. BBC Mundo (in Spanish). 25 June 2026. Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ^ "See Venezuela earthquake damage after 7.1 quake sparks tsunami alerts". USA Today. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ a b "Twin earthquakes strike Venezuela, in photos". Associated Press. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ "Earthquakes Strike Venezuela". The New York Times. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ "Venezuela hit by strong back-to-back earthquakes, prompting warnings of potentially heavy casualties". CBC News. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ "Magnitude 7.1 earthquake rocks Venezuela as buildings shake in Caracas". BBC News. 24 June 2026. Retrieved 24 June 2026.
- ^ a b Buschschlüter, Vanessa (25 June 2026). "Several Venezuelan states affected, interior minister says". Retrieved 25 June 2026.
- ^ "Séisme au Venezuela: Des immeubles effondrés à Caracas".