Venezuela quake causes 60 cm ground shift, NASA's NISAR maps damage

A double earthquake struck northern Venezuela on 24 June 2026, with magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. The events killed 4,561 people, injured 16,740 and left 17,907 without homes, while more than 1,250 aftershocks have been recorded. NASA’s NISAR satellite detected a surface displacement of up to 60 centimetres near the Caracas International Airport, the largest shift recorded in the area. The fault ruptured from Morón, moved under the sea and resurfaced near the airport, part of a fracture network along the Caribbean‑South American plate boundary. NASA activated the satellite’s urgent‑response system for the first time, delivering processed damage maps within 12‑24 hours to support disaster‑relief efforts. The agency said, “Esta falla forma parte de una red de fracturas situada a lo largo del límite entre la placa del Caribe, al norte, y la placa sudamericana, al sur,” highlighting the long‑term tension that led to the rupture.