Strong Earthquakes Strike Northwest Venezuela and Colombia

A series of powerful earthquakes struck northwest Venezuela on September 24 and 25, 2025, rattling the region and causing widespread alarm. The US Geological Survey reported a 6.2-magnitude tremor on Wednesday evening, with an epicenter located approximately 24 kilometers east-northeast of Mene Grande in Zulia state at a shallow depth of 7.8 kilometers. This was followed by another significant event on September 25, which reports placed between 6.3 and 6.0 magnitude.

The tremors were felt across several Venezuelan states, including Zulia, Falcón, Lara, Yaracuy, Portuguesa, Trujillo, and the Capital District. The shaking was strong enough to prompt the evacuation of offices, schools, and homes in major cities such as Maracaibo and Caracas. The seismic activity also extended across the border into Colombia, where tremors were felt in cities including Bogotá, Medellín, and Barranquilla, as well as in Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire.

Reports on casualties and damage vary. While Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello initially stated there was no significant structural damage, other reports indicate more severe impacts. According to some records, one 70-year-old man died of a heart attack in Lara State, and at least 110 people were hospitalized for injuries or panic attacks. In Lara State, reports suggest 28 homes were destroyed and 32 others damaged, with some parishes seeing a high percentage of homes left uninhabitable.

In Zulia state, the earthquakes caused ground fissures and the collapse of several homes, including stilt houses. Damage was reported at a church in Maracaibo and a portion of a high school. In Mene Grande and Pampán, the tremors knocked out traffic lights and caused power outages. The University of Zulia suspended classes for 24 hours following the events.

Government responses included the deployment of civil defense teams to inspect hospitals and infrastructure. Vice President Delcy Rodríguez declared the country on high alert, and President Nicolás Maduro called for a national drill on September 27 to address natural disasters and armed conflicts. In Colombia, the mayor of Bucaramanga conducted damage control in his jurisdiction.

Seismologists noted that the shallow depth of the tremors increased the risk of felt intensity and potential aftershocks. The region is particularly sensitive as about 80 percent of the Venezuelan population lives in seismic zones, and the epicenter was located near Lake Maracaibo, a critical hub for the nation's oil industry.