Powerful Earthquakes Kill 32 in Venezuela—Decades of Weak Buildings Made It Worse

Two massive earthquakes—measuring 7.5 and 7.2 on the strength scale—struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, killing at least 32 people and injuring about 700. Buildings in Caracas fell down. Engineers have long known that older housing built from the 1960s onward was constructed poorly and cannot withstand the violent shaking from earthquakes. The death count may rise as rescue teams search through damaged areas.