Two strong earthquakes hit Venezuela consecutively on Wednesday (June 24), causing buildings to collapse in the capital city of Caracas and sparking fear at an adjacent airport. The initial earthquake, with a magnitude of 7.1, struck west of Morón along the Caribbean coast, about 104 miles from Caracas, according to the US Geological Survey. It occurred at a depth of eight miles. Shortly after, a more powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake occurred with its epicenter located 10 miles southwest of Morón at a depth of six miles.
Videos shared on social media captured the panic at an airport near Caracas following the consecutive earthquakes. Damage was reported at Simon Bolivar Airport in Maiquetia.
There are now reports of structural collapses in various parts of Caracas, including in Naguanagua municipality. Additionally, incidents of internet and cell tower outages have been documented.
Social media accounts indicate that individuals are trapped under debris in Falcón, Tucacas, and the Los Palos Grandes area of Caracas. Search and rescue operations are in progress following the collapse of a multi-story building.
In the aftermath of the earthquake, a tsunami advisory has been issued, warning of potential hazardous tsunami waves within 300 kilometers of the earthquake’s epicenter.
An evacuation is currently underway in Lomas de Urdaneta due to a tsunami warning following the earthquakes in Venezuela on Wednesday evening.
Reports are emerging of a landslide in Montalban in the aftermath of the earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening.
Venezuela’s Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello confirmed that the earthquakes were felt across multiple states. He highlighted alarming situations in Caracas’s Altamira neighborhood, where buildings and homes reportedly collapsed. He advised people to stay outdoors as aftershocks could further damage structures.These earthquakes rank among the most powerful in Venezuela’s recent history, with the last significant ones being the 1900 San Narciso earthquake (7.6 magnitude) and the 2018 Sucre earthquake (7.3 magnitude). While the tremors were felt in Colombia, particularly in the Caribbean region and the northeast, no damages or casualties have been reported.The Colombian Maritime Authority has clarified that there is no tsunami threat for Colombia’s Caribbean coast.
More updates to follow.