Venezuela Twin Quake Update: 188 Dead, 1,520 Injured
The death toll resulting from two powerful earthquakes that shook Venezuela has increased to 188 people. The process of evacuating victims trapped alive under the rubble of collapsed buildings is still ongoing.
According to AFP on Friday (26/06/2026), the increase in the number of fatalities was announced by the President of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez. In addition to the rising death toll, Jorge also reported that ,1520 people have been injured.
The twin earthquakes in Venezuela were recorded by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, occurring just one minute apart on Wednesday night local time.
Jorge stated that offers of rescue assistance and humanitarian aid continue to arrive from various parties.
Meanwhile, strong aftershocks were still being felt on Thursday, Venezuela time.
The state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, has been the most severely affected; residents were seen limping through the debris, calling out the names of loved ones or attempting to rescue the injured, often to no avail.
“There was one point where a young woman named Jennifer, who lived on the 11th floor, responded to my call. However, we did not have any equipment; we had no way to help her,” said Antonio Bermudez, a resident whose building collapsed in La Guaira.
According to Bermudez, in another part of the ruins, a father and son were using crowbars to move large chunks of concrete in an attempt to reach two other sons.
“They are still alive… there is nothing more we can do. We asked them not to strain their voices and to take short breaths, in the hope that at least the three people trapped there could be saved.”
As a result of the disaster, residents looted a local supermarket in La Guaira. The coastal town is also experiencing power outages, and many residents spent the night on the streets or searching for relatives.
“We thank God that… we are still alive, but there are people suffering right now because their family members are trapped under the rubble or crushed by buildings, unable to be extracted,” Yilsmaris Blanco, a local resident, told AFP.