Capital city and main port of Venezuela's Vargas state, founded 1577
Two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 have struck northern Venezuela within a minute, flattening buildings near Caracas and in La Guaira, killing at least 188 people and injuring about 1,500. Authorities have declared a state of emergency, international rescue offers are arriving and search-and-rescue teams are combing rubble for survivors on Thursday, 26 June 2026.