A definitive assessment of the impact caused by the tragedy of June 24, 2026, is still far from being completed. However, one can start to clear some of the questions by understanding the event in its nature.

As of the time of this publication, the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis) has not issued an official bulletin characterizing the two earthquakes that occurred on June 24 at 6:05 p.m. over Venezuelan territory, with devastating consequences, especially in the capital region and the central coast.

Both earthquakes were consecutive, separated by only a few seconds. The first was a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, at a depth of 21.9 kilometers, with its epicenter located between Morón (Carabobo state) and San Felipe (Yaracuy state). A second, even more powerful tremor occurred 8.8 kilometers away, with a magnitude of 7.5 and the added severity of being twice as close to the Earth’s surface as the first, at a depth of only 10 kilometers.

Earthquakes are the sudden release of energy that has accumulated beneath the Earth. This energy is a product of the internal friction of large blocks of rock, better known as tectonic plates. The South American Plate, the continental landmass on which the country is located, is in contact with the Caribbean Plate, an oceanic rock block that contains the sea that bears its name.

The friction between these two plates causes giant fractures known as tectonic faults, which run for many kilometers across Venezuelan territory, especially in the coastal-mountainous region. It is through these faults that accumulated energy is released; therefore, yesterday’s two earthquakes can be understood as two explosions of subterranean energy released through the junction of the Boconó and San Sebastián faults.

To better understand this disaster from its technical and conceptual aspects, Caracas Chronicles interviewed geographer Kuay Rodríguez, who holds a master’s degree in Socio-Natural Risk Management from the University of Los Andes (ULA).

Why was the greatest impact in La Guaira even though the epicenter was in Yaracuy?

When an earthquake of this nature occurs, it is usual for the greatest damage to be recorded in places far from the epicenter. Although the earthquake originated in the subsoil of Yaracuy state, the area’s rocky terrain dissipated it more effectively than the fragile coastal strip of Maiquetía and Catia La Mar. The swarm of seismic waves traveled from hard rock, like that which predominates along the borders of Yaracuy, Carabobo, and Falcón, to sand, sediment, and soft soil, like that of La Guaira. The wave’s speed decreased, but its amplitude increased, making it more destructive.

So, did the seismic waves travel from Yaracuy to La Guaira?

Yes. The way the Earth releases energy from its interior to the surface through tectonic faults like those of Boconó and San Sebastián is known as “forward directivity.” In other words, the seismic energy became more intense as it moved in a particular direction. That energy was released in Yaracuy and traveled through the Boconó and San Sebastián faults until it found the ideal conditions to spread aggressively. The area of ​​seismic expansion gradually appeared along the Puerto Cabello-Maracay-Caracas-La Guaira axis.

Why did so many buildings collapse in La Guaira?

The most affected areas were urban developments built on steep slopes and mountain ridges. This type of terrain tends to amplify the effect of an earthquake because it destabilizes the ground and structurally affects the foundations of civil works.

When the earthquake occurred deep within the earth, the released energy waves traveled upward from the hypocenter in a uniform, vertical motion. But when they reached the surface, these waves did not escape; instead, they remained trapped and bounced off each other along extensive surface layers of soil.

Civil structures and infrastructure are typically designed to withstand the impact of vertical seismic waves, but this changes when the waves bounce horizontally. That’s what happened. The earthquake transformed from a deep, vertical shockwave in Yaracuy into a massive, destructive, and shallow seismic swarm in the capital region.

The two previous earthquakes that preceded this tragedy occurred in 1900 and 1967. Why is this one more devastating?

Because of increased structural vulnerability. This region became a densely populated area with key infrastructure concentrated in a very small space, including critical facilities like the International Airport in Maiquetía, which suffered severe damage.

Any seismic amplification immediately translates into massive structural collapse, compared to rural and less densely populated areas, or almost any scenario from the past.

Are there other risks to consider in the hours following the event?

Urban settlements in La Guaira are exposed to a massive volume of loose sediment, rocks, and fallen trees in the headwaters of the basins that flow down from the mountains. If it rains, this material can be washed away and intensify the risk scenario.

Low-lying areas, being areas with typically water-saturated soils, can experience ground tremors that, although not of tectonic origin, are due to the mechanical readjustment of sediments.

Could there be equally strong aftershocks?

That cannot be predicted. There have already been considerable aftershocks in the hours following the event. The ideal scenario is that the energy that remains accumulated underground will be released through many tiny, low-intensity aftershocks, which do not pose the threat that a scenario with few but larger aftershocks would represent.