Capital District Head of Government Nahum Fernández inspecting damage caused by a 4.0 earthquake reported in Caracas, Venezuela, on August 18, 2026. Photo: IG/@nahumjfernandez.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—In the early hours of Tuesday, the acting president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, reported that a seismic event occurred in La Guaira state and that security and civil protection protocols were activated to assess any damage.
According to the Seismic Agency FUNVIVIS, the quake occurred at 3:07 a.m. with a magnitude of 4.0 and an epicenter northwest of La Guaira at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers. The agency’s preliminary report was posted online.
Rodríguez said the Civil Protection System was immediately activated to monitor and follow up on the seismic event and emphasized that “no damage of any kind” to infrastructure or any casualties had been reported thus far.
A minor earthquake above 4.0 was reported a few minutes ago with epicenter in La Guaira, Venezuela. https://t.co/rb8Gkl08JP
— Orinoco Tribune (@OrinocoTribune) August 18, 2026
Panic felt across Caracas and La Guaira
The earthquake was strongly felt in several areas of north-central Venezuela, including Caracas, La Guaira, and Miranda state, where mobile seismic alerts were triggered. The tremor caused alarm among residents still vulnerable after the catastrophic June 24 earthquakes, which to date have resulted in an official death toll of 6,438—updated on Monday by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez—and ongoing recovery challenges.
La Guaira residents reported that the new aftershock was brief but perceptible. Alejandro Terán, governor of La Guaira state, previously reported on July 30 that 1,338 people remained missing after the June 24 disaster, though some analysts estimate the total could be considerably higher.
Damage reported in Caracas neighborhoods
The head of government of the Capital District, Nahum Fernández, wrote on social media that early Tuesday, teams visited the upper part of the Carapita barrio, specifically the El Manguito sector and the Santa Eduvigis housing complex, after residents reported shaking.
Fernández said the quake was felt strongly in areas such as Las Mayas in Coche parish. “After the seismic activity, and combined with the high water content present in the soil and slopes of the area—due to recent heavy rain—there were specific damages requiring priority attention, such as the collapse of a perimeter wall and structural damage to some homes.” He added that teams will continue a house-by-house technical inspection to assess landslide and collapse risks.
Caracas Fire Department reports house collapse with no injuries
Pablo Palacios, general commander of the Caracas Fire Department, reported on social media that a house collapsed in Carapita, Antímano parish, causing partial damage but “with no injuries or loss of life to report.”
The Security System remains active, authorities said.
Venezuela Restores 450 Megawatts at Termocarabobo Following Earthquake Damage
Acting President Rodríguez reiterated that Venezuela’s Civil Protection and security systems are monitoring the situation and remain on alert to ensure the safety of the population.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/SL
