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Powerful Magnitude 7.5 Earthquake Strikes Venezuela, Shaking Caracas and Southern Caribbean Islands
A powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck near the northern coast of Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon, June 24, 2026, at approximately 3:04 PM local time. The massive seismic event sent panic through urban centers, caused visible structural degradation in the capital, and triggered localized tsunami advisories across the southern Caribbean.
According to preliminary data released by the U.S. Geological Survey, the earthquake was centered roughly 28 kilometers (17 miles) northwest of Montalbán in Carabobo state, and about 18 miles from the city of San Felipe in the neighboring state of Yaracuy. The quake struck at a shallow depth along the highly active tectonic boundary where the Caribbean and South American plates meet. Notably, some of Venezuela’s largest oil refineries are located around the immediate epicenter area, prompting urgent safety reviews and infrastructure inspections by energy officials.
The violent tremors were felt across an expansive geographical footprint, shaking communities throughout Venezuela and neighboring Colombia. Regional emergency management agencies confirmed that significant shaking was also experienced across the nearby islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and the Caribbean Netherlands. In the Venezuelan capital of Caracas, located east of the epicenter, thousands of terrified residents and office workers rushed out of high-rise structures into the streets, evacuating with their loved ones and pets as buildings swayed violently for several prolonged seconds.
Videos geolocated by CNN highlighted the immediate physical impact in Caracas, showing heavily damaged buildings with missing walls and thick clouds of dust covering some neighborhoods. Initial eyewitness reports indicate that structural cracks have formed along the walls of multiple residential and commercial properties, though comprehensive damage assessments are still in the early stages.
Immediately following the earthquake, the U.S. Tsunami Warning Centers announced that hazardous tsunami waves are possible for coasts within 300 kilometers (186 miles) of the epicenter, directly threatening the shorelines of Venezuela, Bonaire, Curaçao, and Aruba. Additionally, a formal tsunami threat assessment was issued for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands to evaluate potential coastal water rises. Local authorities throughout the southern Caribbean islands are actively monitoring tide gauges and advising residents along low-lying coastal corridors to remain alert for unusual wave activity. First responders and municipal crews in Yaracuy and Carabobo states are currently deploying to the hardest-hit areas near the epicenter to check for potential casualties, clear debris from disrupted roadways, and inspect vital utility infrastructure for disruptions.
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UPDATED AT: June 24, 2026 at 4:30 PM
By: NBC Palm Springs
June 24, 2026
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