Venezuela is reeling after two massive earthquakes struck within seconds of one another on the evening of June 24, leaving widespread destruction, hundreds of casualties, and countless families searching for loved ones beneath collapsed buildings.
According to The New York Times, the first earthquake, measuring magnitude 7.2, struck shortly after 6 p.m. Eastern Time. Less than a minute later, a second and even more powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake hit, making it the strongest earthquake to strike Venezuela in more than a century.
The disaster has devastated communities across northern Venezuela, particularly in and around Caracas and the coastal state of La Guaira. Buildings collapsed, roads cracked, power and water services failed, and the country’s main international airport sustained significant damage, forcing its closure. Rescue crews have worked around the clock searching for survivors trapped beneath mountains of concrete and steel. According to The New York Times, rescuers in Caracas repeatedly called for silence as they listened for voices beneath the rubble, while frightened families waited nearby, praying for loved ones to be found alive.
The scale of the tragedy continues to grow.
According to Yahoo News, Venezuelan authorities now report at least 164 people have died and 971 have been injured, while officials fear those numbers will rise significantly as rescue operations reach the hardest-hit areas. The state of La Guaira has been described as a “disaster zone,” with dozens of buildings reduced to rubble.
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has issued a Red Alert, warning that the final death toll could ultimately reach into the thousands because of the severity of the earthquakes and the vulnerability of many buildings throughout the affected region. According to Yahoo News, USGS predictive models indicate there is a significant probability that casualties could exceed 10,000 if widespread destruction is confirmed in the hardest-hit communities.
According to The New York Times, hospitals have been overwhelmed, schools have been closed, and emergency shelters have opened for families whose homes were destroyed or deemed unsafe. International rescue teams from several countries, including the United States, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, and El Salvador, are traveling to Venezuela to assist with search-and-rescue operations and humanitarian relief.
Behind every statistic is a family living through unimaginable fear.
According to The New York Times, one woman described embracing her husband and son while crying out to God as their home shook violently around them. Others spent the entire night sleeping outdoors, too frightened to return inside damaged buildings as powerful aftershocks continued to rattle the region.
For Catholics, tragedies such as this remind us that while buildings may fall and lives can change in an instant, Christ remains our unshakable foundation.
Now is the time for the Church throughout the world to stand beside the people of Venezuela—not only through humanitarian aid, but also through fervent prayer.
Please pray for those who have lost loved ones, for those still trapped beneath the rubble, for first responders risking their own lives to save others, and for every family facing uncertainty in the days ahead.
We also invite you to light a free online prayer candle for the people of Venezuela at www.prayercandles.org. Your prayer may seem small, but united with thousands of others, it becomes a powerful witness that the Body of Christ stands together in times of suffering.
Our Lady of Coromoto, Patroness of Venezuela, pray for your people.
Sacred Heart of Jesus, have mercy on Venezuela.
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