Venezuela declared a state of emergency after two devastating earthquakes struck the country on June 24, 2024 [1, 3].
The disaster has crippled local infrastructure and overwhelmed emergency services, necessitating a national response to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed structures.
Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said a state of emergency was declared as rescue teams began searching for people under the rubble [1, 5]. The seismic activity resulted in the collapse of buildings and hospitals, complicating the delivery of medical care to those injured in the tremors [1, 2].
The first of the two quakes occurred at 6:05 p.m. local time on June 24, 2024 [2]. Officials said the epicenter was in La Guaira, located approximately 30 kilometers from the capital city of Caracas [2, 4].
Rescuers are currently working to extract victims from the debris of fallen edifices. The scale of the destruction has prompted a mobilization of resources to the affected coastal and urban regions, where the impact was most severe.
Reports indicate that the event was the strongest seismic activity the region has experienced in 59 years [1]. The natural activity generated two distinct tremors that shook the region, leading to widespread panic and structural failure in several municipalities [2, 3].
“Vice President Delcy Rodríguez declared the state of emergency”
The collapse of hospitals and critical infrastructure during a major seismic event creates a secondary crisis by removing the very facilities needed to treat mass casualties. Because the epicenter was so close to Caracas, the administrative and economic heart of the country, the recovery process will likely require significant international aid and a long-term reconstruction effort for the La Guaira region.
