Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, causing widespread destruction in and around Caracas. A magnitude 7.2 quake hit first near San Felipe in Yaracuy state, followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The quakes collapsed buildings, trapped people under rubble, and left at least 920 confirmed dead with more than 4,500 injured as of June 26, authorities reported.
The death toll is expected to rise, with hundreds still missing.
Devastation in Caracas and Beyond
The earthquakes caused extensive structural damage across northern Venezuela, particularly in Caracas and coastal La Guaira. Hundreds of buildings collapsed, including older structures vulnerable to the intense shaking. Rescue operations continued as aftershocks rattled the region.
Interim officials described scenes of rubble-filled streets and residents searching for loved ones. Hospitals reported being overwhelmed with patients.
The events rank among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century.
Statue of Our Lady Survives Unscathed
Despite the destruction, a statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus in Caracas remained intact. Images shared on social media showed the statue being carefully moved from its site following the quakes.
VENEZUELA 🇻🇪
Statue of Our Lady and the Child Jesus in Caracas being moved after remaining intact following the double earthquakes pic.twitter.com/RgXmXFRqT7
— Catholic Arena (@CatholicArena) June 26, 2026
Historical Parallels: Religious Artifacts Surviving Disasters
Similar incidents have occurred in past earthquakes, in which prominent religious items endured while the surroundings collapsed.
In 2016, following a 7.8-magnitude earthquake in Ecuador, a statue of Our Lady of Light at a school in Manta remained undamaged in its glass case despite the building’s collapse, reported Angelus.
A Virgin Mary statue survived the 2023 Turkey-Syria earthquakes, even as the Cathedral of the Annunciation in Iskenderun collapsed around it, Fox News reported at the time.
In 1650, a statue of Christ known as Señor de los Temblores in Cuzco, Peru, became associated with stopping tremors during a major earthquake. The statue was paraded through the streets, and it remains significant to devotees today. The powerful earthquake that struck Cuzco in 1650 threatened the city’s very survival. Many accounts describe how the shaking only ceased after the statue was taken through the streets as a plea to God and the Virgin Mary.
Other cases include a Virgin Mary statue in Mindanao, Philippines, after the 2026 quake, as well as reports from Mexico and elsewhere.
In contrast, many religious sites suffered heavy damage in events such as the 2016 central Italy earthquakes, which reduced the Basilica of St. Benedict in Norcia to rubble, and the 2025 Myanmar quake, which destroyed thousands of pagodas, monasteries, and mosques.
