Number of Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent killed in Venezuela rises to 96

Published on 06/07/2026 - 18:43 GMT+2

The number of Portuguese citizens and people of Portuguese descent killed in the earthquakes that devastated Venezuela has risen to 96, including 17 children and 79 adults, according to the latest figures from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) released to the Lusa news agency.

To date, the twin earthquake that struck mainly the La Guaria area on 24 June has left 3,342 dead and 16,740 injured.

Several countries from the European Union, including Portugal, have sent rescue teams.

Venezuela and its capital, Caracas, were rocked by two powerful seismic waves on 24 June 2026, just a few seconds apart (39 seconds).

The country lies on the boundary between two tectonic plates: the South American plate and the Caribbean plate. As they slide past one another, these plates can become locked, building up strain until a catastrophic rupture eventually occurs and triggers an earthquake.

The tremors from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes caused buildings to collapse in cities across the country’s northern region, with particular impact in La Guaria, the worst-hit area and the location of the Portuguese rescue team’s operations base.

La Guaria is also the area where many Portuguese nationals and people of Portuguese descent live.

Additional sources • AP, LUSA