In La Guaira, Venezuela, a 7.2‑ and 7.5‑magnitude earthquake on June 24 caused the collapse of numerous high‑rise apartment buildings, killing at least 6,438 people and leaving many missing, according to authorities.

Scientists had identified the area as a high‑risk zone for a major quake decades earlier, but the government proceeded with the Gran Misión Vivienda social‑housing program, constructing 28 twin‑tower complexes in Caraballeda despite warnings.

Satellite imagery analysis from 2000‑2026 showed that more than half of the high‑density public housing units built after 2011 collapsed, while only about 10 % of privately built high‑rises fell, most of which were older and built before the 2001 seismic standards. Government officials, including interim President Delcy Rodríguez, claimed public housing performed better than private housing, a claim contradicted by the data. A presidential commission is reviewing building safety, but no investigation has been launched into the cause of the failures. The United States, through the Trump administration, has pledged over $300 million for reconstruction and is working with Miyamoto International to assess the damage. Engineers such as Alejandro Linayo have called for forensic examinations to determine whether construction complied with the 2019 seismic norms, noting irregularities such as reduced rebar, substandard concrete and missing soil studies. The Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research, whose staffing and oversight have been reduced, has been slow to issue alerts, contrasting with the U.S. Geological Survey’s rapid reporting. Survivors reported being told the towers were earthquake‑proof, and many apartments pancaked within seconds.

The government says it will rebuild using the Misión Vivienda program, but experts say sites must be evaluated before any new construction, and the fate of the rubble remains unresolved.