Two massive earthquakes hit Venezuela - 24 June 2026

[McG]

US Geological Survey (USGS) estimates a 44% chance of more than 10,000 fatalities, and a 30% chance of more than 100,000. That’s not good.

Back-to-back powerful earthquakes hit Venezuela, causing widespread damage

Back-to-back powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, causing widespread damage, collapsing buildings and sending panicked residents into the streets.

apnews.com

 

[OldSolduer]

That’s a fckin huge one. I reckon DART will be deployed- do we still have DART ?

 

[brihard]

Yeah, from the couple hours of video before the sun set, this looks really, really bad. Multi-storey buildings pancaked in some places. And of course darkness won’t help. This is close to as powerful an earthquake as Venezuela has ever recorded, and the location sucks.

Any HUSAR team around the world that could be freed up should be doing kit checks.

I hope we offer whatever we can as DART. This is likely a humanitarian catastrophe.

 

[MilEME09]

I read a double quake like this is extremely rare, about once in 1200 years or so. I doubt any building can easily withstand a two back to back 7.5+ quakes. Who knows what kind of after shocks might happen tomorrow too. Their infrastructure will be in rough shape after this. Times like this a LHD would be useful to set up an aid base off the coast.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Wow... a mega double tap in the same spot, very close to alot of populated areas:

Key Points (updated June 25, 2026, 00:23 UTC)​

• A magnitude 7.5 earthquake occurred in northern Venezuela, west of Caracas. This earthquake is the mainshock in a double event, following a magnitude 7.2 earthquake by 39 seconds.
• The USGS assesses that high casualties and damage are probable, and that the disaster is likely widespread.
• Aftershocks, some potentially with strong shaking, may follow this earthquake.
• If you experienced this earthquake, please tell us about it with the Did You Feel It? survey.

https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us6000t7zp/executive

 

[Maxman1]

Is there any way to volunteer for a humanitarian mission like this?

 

[Jarnhamar]

Is there any way to volunteer for a humanitarian mission like this?

Team Rubicon Canada | Built To Serve

Team Rubicon Canada mobilizes veterans and kick-ass civilians to aid in disaster response and humanitarian crises across Canada and worldwide.

team-rubicon.ca

 

[brihard]

I’m starting to see lots of confirmed and geolocated footage showing 10, 15 storey buildings completely collapsed. Looks like the seaside towns just north of Caracas seem particularly hard hit.

Come the morning and sunrise we’ll probably start seeing a lot more bad stuff.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Luckily, Iran has offered assistance

Venezuela earthquakes: ‘intensive’ search for survivors as death toll rises to 164 – latest updates

Delcy Rodríguez said authorities were shifting rescue teams from other parts of the country to the hardest-hit La Guaira area

www.theguardian.com

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Some aerial footage

https://twitter.com/x/status/2070165042842972344

 

[Maxman1]

Canada provides humanitarian assistance in response to earthquakes in Venezuela - Canada.ca

Canada stands with the people of Venezuela following the catastrophic earthquakes that have caused immense loss of life and widespread damage.

www.canada.ca

Canada providing $5M in humanitarian aid to Venezuela to support earthquake relief efforts

Canada is providing Venezuela an initial $5M in humanitarian assistance funding to support emergency relief efforts after two powerful earthquakes struck Wednesday evening.

www.ctvnews.ca

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/livestory/venezuela-earthquakes-deaths-survivors-recovery-aftermath-search-9.7248333

 

[brihard]

Canada provides humanitarian assistance in response to earthquakes in Venezuela - Canada.ca

Canada stands with the people of Venezuela following the catastrophic earthquakes that have caused immense loss of life and widespread damage.

www.canada.ca

Canada providing $5M in humanitarian aid to Venezuela to support earthquake relief efforts

Canada is providing Venezuela an initial $5M in humanitarian assistance funding to support emergency relief efforts after two powerful earthquakes struck Wednesday evening.

www.ctvnews.ca

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/livestory/venezuela-earthquakes-deaths-survivors-recovery-aftermath-search-9.7248333

That’s absolutely nothing. They need specialty boots on the ground. There’s a rapidly closing window for heavy urban search and rescue.

 

[GR66]

That’s absolutely nothing. They need specialty boots on the ground. There’s a rapidly closing window for heavy urban search and rescue.

Agreed, but when is the last time Canada deployed a HUSAR team to an overseas disaster? Does that even fall within the CONOPS of our CAN-TF HUSAR teams?

 

[Colin Parkinson]

Agreed, but when is the last time Canada deployed a HUSAR team to an overseas disaster? Does that even fall within the CONOPS of our CAN-TF HUSAR teams?

Israel keeps at ready and will deploy immediately almost anywhere if allowed, a Urban SAR team trained for this. A tool for humanitarian relief and foreign policy.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-making-immediate-preparations-to-send-aid-team-to-quake-stricken-venezuela/

 

[Blackadder1916]

Agreed, but when is the last time Canada deployed a HUSAR team to an overseas disaster? Does that even fall within the CONOPS of our CAN-TF HUSAR teams?

Doesn't specifically rule out international operations, but other than using some international standards (though not being accredited internationally) and having some specific agreements for cross-border assistance between Canada and USA, there is no standing protocol for deploying teams (which are provincial resources) overseas.

Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Concept of Operations - July 2025

The Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Concept of Operations is a coordinated effort between the six federally recognized Canadian Heavy Urban Search and Rescue teams and Public Safety Canada, to build national readiness capacity for the effective and efficient deployment of Task Forces in response...

www.publicsafety.gc.ca

 

[daftandbarmy]

That's alot of missing people ....

Rescue workers in Venezuela race to free hundreds trapped in rubble as quake death toll climbs to 920​

A registry lists nearly 50,000 unaccounted for after Wednesday evening's 7.2 and 7.5 tremors​

Rescuers worked through the night on Friday to save hundreds of Venezuelans trapped in rubble and find thousands more missing after two of the biggest earthquakes in Latin America's modern history smashed areas in and around the capital Caracas.

The death toll from Wednesday's two powerful earthquakes rose to 920, authorities said on Friday, although the death toll was expected to rise, with thousands reported missing and frantic rescue efforts continuing. She said at least 3,360 people were confirmed injured.

A website created to track missing people and shared by opposition leaders from the politically polarized nation listed 49,600 people as unaccounted for.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/venezuela-earthquake-death-toll-rises-people-trapped-9.7249673

 

[foresterab]

Is there any way to volunteer for a humanitarian mission like this?

I know the US sent a specialized team in via Virginia State but the only Canadian force deployed that I know of are these guys:

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www.cbc.ca

Will note that some of the Urban SAR groups on the west coast do train for this more than others...different skill sets needed for earthquakes and Urban SAR than what I normally think of

 

[OldSolduer]

I know the US sent a specialized team in via Virginia State but the only Canadian force deployed that I know of are these guys:

Loading...

www.cbc.ca

Will note that some of the Urban SAR groups on the west coast do train for this more than others...different skill sets needed for earthquakes and Urban SAR than what I normally think of

I thought of volunteering with the local urban SAR folks til I read what is needed. I’m of the age that if I crawl around buildings that have collapsed several things might happen- one being I get stuck somewhere and I need to be rescued. No thanks.

 

[foresterab]

I thought of volunteering with the local urban SAR folks til I read what is needed. I’m of the age that if I crawl around buildings that have collapsed several things might happen- one being I get stuck somewhere and I need to be rescued. No thanks.

Depends on the group but there's always a need for folks behind the scenes to do things like arrange meals/accomidations/fuel. Doesn't always have to be front line service to be valuable.

Unfortunately most groups Ive met are so small it's a case of everyone needed at the pointy end.