Venezuela Earthquakes Trigger Widespread Damage, Evacuations, and Global Concerns A series of powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, causing significant damage in the capital, Caracas, and raising alarms about the country’s already fragile infrastructure. The first quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5, hit near the northern coast, approximately 28 kilometers northwest of Montalbán, a region home to Venezuela’s largest oil refineries. Just 40 seconds later, a foreshock of 7.2 magnitude followed, intensifying the chaos. The tremors collapsed buildings, sent residents fleeing their homes, and left many stranded as emergency crews scrambled to respond. Residents in Caracas described harrowing scenes as they evacuated buildings with their families and pets. Maria Alejandra, a survivor, recounted how walls in her apartment cracked and that they had to pry open a door to escape. “We had to climb over the rubble and everything. The building superintendent with the baby and all the neighbors coming down. But from that building, I only saw that one family got out,” she said. The US Embassy in Caracas issued an alert to American citizens, urging them to seek shelter and avoid damaged areas. The message emphasized the importance of the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) for emergency contact. The earthquakes also triggered a tsunami warning from the US Tsunami Warning Centers, which initially advised coastal areas including Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to prepare for potentially dangerous waves. However, the warning was later canceled as experts confirmed no tsunami threat. The US Geological Survey (USGS) noted that the quakes did not generate waves capable of reaching distant shores.#venezuela #caracas #us_embassy #montalban #us_tsunami_warning_centers
