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Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday night, one sending players and spectators running from a baseball stadium as the ground shook.
Video shared on social media appeared to show fans rushing for the exits as the stadium shook.
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According to the US Geological Survey, the first earthquake was initially measured at a magnitude of 7.1. Less than a minute later, a second, stronger 7.5 magnitude earthquake struck nearby.
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The epicenters were located near the coastal city of Morón, about 164 miles west of the capital Caracas. Both earthquakes were shallow, increasing the intensity of tremors felt over a wide area.
First responders attend to a damaged building in Los Palos Grandes, Caracas, Venezuela, after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake struck the region on June 24, 2026. (Edilzon Gamez/Getty Images)
According to the New York Daily News, the earthquakes are among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century.
“The earthquakes struck shortly after 6pm local time. People evacuated swaying buildings in Caracas and remained outside, many visibly shocked as they saw entire walls collapsed, leaving furniture visible from the street,” the paper reported.
“Dust columns could also be seen in two neighborhoods in the capital, where restaurants and other businesses are typically busy. People stayed on the streets after sunset. Some sat on the ground hugging their pets as dust gathered around them.”
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An ambulance drives through the street at the Parque Central urban development complex in Caracas, Venezuela, after a 7.2 magnitude earthquake hit the region on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
Authorities reported structural damage in parts of Caracas, including collapsed walls and damaged buildings. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello urged residents to remain outdoors where safe because aftershocks could further weaken damaged structures.
“It started gently and then grew gradually and eventually we all had to leave our houses, go outside and gather,” Caracas resident Hector Ricci told The Associated Press.
Another Caracas resident, Roberto Damas, described the shaking.
“The building was really shaking from side to side. Unreal. The force was incredibly strong,” Damas said. “We left and it knocked us over. Everything in the apartment fell. Thank God we were able to get out.”
First responders attend a damaged building in Los Palos Grandes, Caracas, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and the Caribbean on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
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The earthquakes were felt over large parts of northern Venezuela and into neighboring Colombia. Tsunami advisories were briefly issued for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands before being canceled after officials determined the threat had passed.
Officials continued to assess the full extent of the damage Wednesday night. The New York Times reports that neither the extent of the damage nor its human toll was immediately clear.
