Deadly double earthquake strikes Venezuela

On Wednesday, October 24, 2026, two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Venezuela near Caracas. The first tremor occurred at 01:04 Greek time with a focal depth of 21.9 km, followed 39 seconds later by a second, shallower tremor. Venezuelan interim President Delcy Rodriguez officially confirmed at least 32 deaths and over 700 injuries, though these figures are preliminary as rescue efforts in hard-hit La Guaira continue. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) warned that the disaster could result in thousands of casualties, with predictive models suggesting a potential range of 1,000 to over 10,000 deaths. Widespread damage to infrastructure, power outages, and collapsed buildings have been reported, particularly in the La Guaira region. The UN investigation mission has urged Venezuelan authorities to unblock internet and media access to facilitate emergency information flow. Multiple nations, including China, the U.S., India, Germany, Italy, and Spain, have offered immediate humanitarian and rescue assistance. The government has declared a state of emergency to manage the rescue operations.