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
Sheinbaum Demands Explanations After U.S. Embassy Officials Die in Chihuahua Accident Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Monday that she would demand clarity regarding the deaths of U.S. and Mexican officials during an accident in northern Chihuahua, emphasizing that any joint operations between state governments and foreign entities without federal approval would violate Mexican law. The incident, which occurred over the weekend, involved a car crash on a mountainside route connecting Chihuahua to Sinaloa, where four individuals—two Mexican investigators and two U.S. Embassy instructors—died after their vehicle skidded and fell into a ravine. Sheinbaum stated that her government was unaware of the operation, which she described as a unilateral decision by the Chihuahua state authorities. Chihuahua Attorney General César Jáuregui confirmed that the officials were returning from an operation to dismantle clandestine drug labs when the accident occurred. He described the crash as a result of the vehicle skidding and plunging into a ravine, leading to an explosion. The U.S. Embassy declined to identify the deceased officials or their affiliated agencies, stating they were “supporting Chihuahua state authorities’ efforts to combat cartel operations.” U.S. Ambassador Ronald Johnson expressed condolences on social media but provided minimal details about the incident. The operation, which involved state prosecutors and federal military forces, was part of a broader effort to target drug labs in the Morelos region. Officials reported using drones to locate the labs, which contained large quantities of drug manufacturing materials but no individuals, likely due to prior alerts. However, Jáuregui later clarified that there were no U.S.#donald_trump #claudia_sheinbaum #cesar_jauregui #chihuahua #us_embassy
