Communities in northern Venezuela struggle after deadly quakes as rescuers race against time to find survivors.
Rescue workers in Caracas take an injured man to medical care on June 24, 2026, after magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes hit Venezuela. [Ariana Cubillos/AP Photo]
By AFP
,
AP
and
Reuters
Published On 25 Jun 2026
Two powerful earthquakes have struck northern Venezuela, killing dozens of people, injuring hundreds and destroying homes and infrastructure. These images show the damage, rescue efforts and grief in the affected communities.
Venezuelans raced out onto the streets during the earthquakes as buildings collapsed. Many were too afraid to return to structures that were still standing as rescue efforts began. [Maxwell Briceno/Reuters]
An injured man is cared for in a vehicle in La Guaira, Venezuela's main port, after the earthquakes. [Maxwell Briceno/Reuters]
The epicentres of the quakes were in Yaracuy state, west of Caracas, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). [Maxwell Briceno/Reuters]
Rescue workers comb through the rubble of collapsed apartment blocks to try to find survivors in Caracas, which was hit hard by the quakes. [Federico Parra/AFP]
The first quake had a magnitude of 7.2 and struck at a depth of 22km (14 miles), the USGS says. It was followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 quake at a depth of about 10km (6 miles). [Gaby Oraa/Reuters]
People wait to receive medical treatment at a field hospital in La Guaira. [Maxwell Briceno/Reuters]
A woman comforts a child in a street in Caracas. Nearly two dozen aftershocks followed the twin temblors, and experts warned that more strong aftershocks could follow in the coming days. [Federico Parra/AFP]
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency as experts warned the death toll could be in the thousands. [Manaure Quintero/AFP]
Rodriguez said the most heavily affected area is La Guaira, located north of Caracas on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast. She described La Guaira as a “disaster zone” where rescuers are “working to save lives”. [Maxwell Briceno/Reuters]
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