Venezuela is known for its turbulent political history, but much less for its record of earthquakes. Quakes have destroyed cities, sent people fleeing, and left behind little more than dust and rubble. The article serves as a reminder that life on this land—from colonial times to the era of reinforced concrete—was never calm: in the north of the country, home to about 80% of the population, the Caribbean Plate grinds against the South American Plate, creating faults and shocks. The main lesson delivered by this repeating catastrophe is the need to treat the territory you live on “with respect.”
The historical chronicle begins with an earthquake in 1641 in Caracas, when people—without maps or scientific explanations—prayed in the streets and waited for another “blow from the heavens.” The most powerful quake in the country’s history is considered to be the 1766 tremor with a magnitude of 7.9, which practically destroyed Cumaná. And in the midst of the war for independence, on March 26, 1812, on Holy Thursday, an earthquake of up to magnitude 8.0 took thousands of lives. It was then that Simón Bolívar delivered his famous line: “If nature resists, we will fight it and make it submit”—a slogan that became a symbol of unwavering resolve.
In the 20th century, disasters continued. In 1900, President Cipriano Castro, panicked, jumped out of a window and broke his leg. In 1929, Cumaná collapsed again—an earthquake of magnitude 7.0 triggered a tsunami with waves up to five meters, killing 1,600 people. In 1950, the city of El Tocuyo was hit by a shock of 6.3, and then what remained was bulldozed. In 1997, a powerful underground quake in Cariaco (around 7.0) killed more than 70 people, with schools hit especially hard—children became the main victims of this tragedy.
Recent history confirms that the threat has not gone away. In 2009, a magnitude 6.4 earthquake near Carabobo passed without fatalities, but left the injured and widespread damage. And in 2018, tremors tilted the last floors of the famous unfinished David Tower in Caracas—an emblem of fragile modernity. Finally, on June 24, 2026, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake with a magnitude 7.5 aftershock in Montalbán made the world hold its breath: the U.S. Geological Survey predicted 10,000 to 100,000 deaths, while Venezuelan authorities reported 164 fatalities. The article ends with an important conclusion: science explains plate tectonics, but direct experience—bodily fear and memory—teaches the main thing: any city, no matter how solid it seems, stands on ground it cannot control.
Comments on the news
- Who is Cipriano Castro and why did his reaction to the 1900 earthquake become well known? — Cipriano Castro was President of Venezuela from 1899 to 1908. His reaction to the 1900 earthquake became known thanks to his call for calm and unity: according to historical sources, he said, “Don’t be afraid, we are all people” (No hay que temer, somos todos hombres), highlighting his leadership in a crisis situation.
- What is the “David Tower” in Caracas and why is it considered a symbol of fragile modernity? — The “David Tower” (Torre de David) is an unfinished 45-story skyscraper in Caracas whose construction was halted in 1994 due to the financial crisis. Later, the building was occupied by squatters. It is considered a symbol of fragile modernity because it reflects the failure of ambitious modernization projects and Venezuela’s economic instability.
Full version: Terremoto en Venezuela: cuatro siglos de ciudades caídas, miedo y memoria bajo la tierra