At least 920 people have been confirmed dead and tens of thousands remain missing in the aftermath of a powerful double earthquake in Venezuela. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes – the most powerful earthquakes to hit the country in more than a century – struck within 39 seconds of each other west of the capital Caracas. Acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Friday that at least 2,980 people had been injured, while nearly 50,000 remain missing. Ms Rodriguez said that La Guaira, the coastal state that took the brunt of the devastation, would be put under military control in an effort to cope with the disaster. The area is located approximately 20 miles (30km) away from Caracas, which was also hit by the quakes. La Guaira’s airport, located in Maiquetia, has suffered severe infrastructural damage and was forced to close temporarily in the aftermath of the quakes. National Assembly president Jorge Rodriguez said that more than 250 structures have been “damaged or lost”, adding that dozens of buildings had collapsed in La Guaira.
Published: June 26, 2026 4:27 pm
Source: The Independent — Read original