Venezuela Reels After Twin Earthquakes
Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s northern Caribbean coast on June 24 — a magnitude 7.2 followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5 — killing at least 1,430 people and injuring more than 3,000 as rescue operations continue. The twin quakes caused widespread collapse across La Guaira and Caracas, sparked hundreds of aftershocks and have overwhelmed hospitals and morgues as international aid begins to arrive.
Caracas, Venezuela — Venezuela is confronting one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history after two major earthquakes struck the country's northern Caribbean coast on June 24. The shocks, measured at magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 and occurring just 39 seconds apart along the San Sebastián Fault, have left at least 1,430 people dead, more than 3,000 injured and tens of thousands missing or displaced.
The worst damage was reported in the coastal state of La Guaira and in the capital, Caracas, where entire apartment blocks, bridges and sections of public infrastructure collapsed. Roads, hospitals, schools and utility networks suffered extensive damage; Venezuela's main international airport temporarily suspended operations while engineers inspected structures.
Hundreds of aftershocks have continued to rattle the region, complicating search-and-rescue efforts and forcing many residents to sleep outdoors for safety. Emergency responders from Venezuela, supported by international search-and-rescue teams, are continuing round-the-clock operations amid mounting logistical challenges.
Rescuers have pulled some people alive from the rubble, including children and a mother with her infant, but officials warn that the number of recoveries is likely to dwindle as time passes. Authorities say morgues in Caracas are operating beyond capacity and hospitals are treating thousands of injured patients amid shortages of medical supplies and power disruptions.
The human toll includes well-known figures from sport, entertainment and politics, intensifying national grief. Among those reported killed are the wife and two children of Argentine footballer Lucas Trejo, the wife of former baseball player Gorkys Hernández, Andrea Bello (wife of footballer Héctor Bello) who reportedly died shielding the couple’s one-year-old daughter, promising youth player Yimvert Berroterán and public figures including actress Gabriela Fleritt and politician Milagros Eulate.
Several musicians were also killed when their bandmates and family members perished in the disaster. Seismologists described the event as a rare "earthquake doublet," and experts say the scale of destruction is comparable to Venezuela's worst historical quakes — the government has warned that recovery and reconstruction could take years.
International aid from countries across the Americas, Europe and Asia is arriving, including field hospitals, rescue teams and engineering specialists. What this means for BVI residents: while the British Virgin Islands were not directly struck, the quake occurred along Venezuela’s Caribbean coast and may cause regional travel and logistics disruptions.
Residents with family or friends in Venezuela should try to contact them through official channels and social media; travellers should check with airlines for delays or rerouting. The BVI Department of Disaster Management advises monitoring official government and consular advisories and directing donations through recognised humanitarian organisations to ensure relief reaches affected communities safely.
Primary source: Guavaberry