Back-to-back 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes rock Venezuela, damaging buildings in Caracas
A pair of strong earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck west of Caracas on Wednesday evening, collapsing walls and sending residents into the streets. A tsunami threat was issued for parts of the Caribbean.
Double tremors
Two earthquakes hit Venezuela within less than a minute on Wednesday, 24 June, at 6:04 p.m. local time. The United States Geological Survey (USGS) measured the first quake at magnitude 7.2, revised from an initial 7.1, and the second at 7.5. The first shock had a depth of around 13 kilometers; the second, more powerful one struck at a depth of only 10 kilometers. Both epicenters were located approximately 28 kilometers west of the coastal community of Morón, in the state of Carabobo. The area is home to hundreds of thousands of people in nearby cities such as Puerto Cabello and San Felipe.
- First earthquake (magnitude 7.2) at depth of ~13 km, 28 km west of Morón
- Second earthquake (magnitude 7.5) at depth of 10 km, slightly north of the first epicenter
Damage in the capital
In Caracas, about 104 miles from the epicenter, buildings swayed and residents rushed outdoors. In the upscale Altamira district, walls collapsed and debris littered the street, as shown in a video shared by Venezuelan-Italian deputy Mariela Magallanes. "#Venezuela, earthquake in my country," she wrote. Emergency workers were seen climbing into the ruins of a collapsed building as darkness fell. Cracks appeared in apartment walls, and broken glass was reported in many entryways. Power outages were also reported in parts of the capital and beyond.
#Venezuela, earthquake in my country
Government response
Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello described the situation as "extremely alarming" during a televised address. He confirmed that several buildings had collapsed and urged people to remain outdoors because aftershocks could cause additional structural damage. The authorities ordered the gas supply to be cut off to prevent explosions. Cabello added that the quake was felt across multiple states and that the full extent of the damage was still being assessed. No immediate information on casualties was provided by Venezuelan officials.
We are dealing with an extremely alarming situation. Some buildings have collapsed.
Tsunami warning
Despite the inland epicenters, the U.S. Tsunami Warning System issued a threat for Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, as well as for the islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire just off the Venezuelan coast. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves were possible along the coasts of Venezuela and those Caribbean islands. There were no immediate reports of flooding or unusual wave activity.
Context
Many Venezuelans were at home when the quakes struck, as Wednesday was a public holiday commemorating the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, which secured the country’s independence from Spain. Caracas was last struck by a deadly earthquake in 1967, and memories of that disaster remain vivid. The USGS noted that the region’s building stock includes both vulnerable unreinforced brick masonry and adobe structures, as well as some earthquake-resistant constructions.
