Volunteers have joined the search for victims buried under the rubble – Image: Federico Parra/AFP
A Venezuelan lawmaker said at least 920 people have died after two strong earthquakes rattled the capital and surrounding regions.
Venezuela earthquakes: What you need to know
- Two major quakes struck central Venezuela seconds apart, one with a magnitude 7.2 and the other with a magnitude 7.5
- At least 920 people are dead, with 3,360 injured, head of Venezuela’s national assembly Jorge Rodriguez said
- Venezuela’s president has declared a state of emergency
- Extensive damage reported in the capital of Caracas and the nearby state of La Guaira
Many homes in Venezuela are built without any regard for the threat of an earthquake – Image: Diko Betancourt/Anadolu/picture alliance
Death toll from earthquakes rises to 920, lawmaker says
Jorge Rodriguez, the head of Venezuela’s national assembly, said the death toll from the quakes has now jumped to 920.
There are also 3,360 injured due to the catastrophe, authorities say.
US deploys warships, planes to aid quake response
The United States has said it’s deploying two warships, transport planes and helicopters to assist earthquake-hit Venezuela.
They include the amphibious transport ship USS Fort Lauderdale and the littoral combat ship USS Billings (LCS 15), as well as C-17 Globemaster and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.
The US military’s Southern Command said its forces would provide support for search-and-rescue teams and “US interagency partners as they assess damage, locate the injured, and deliver critical, life-saving assistance.”
Washington has also pledged to provide $150 million in aid.
Earlier in the day, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio had said the US would provide a “whole-of-government” response to the twin quakes.
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez visits earthquake epicenter
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, has visited La Guaira, a state located near the capital, Caracas, that was among those hardest hit by Wednesday’s devastating earthquakes.
From Macuto, a historic seaside city and civil parish in the state, Rodriguez — standing alongside Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and Parliament Speaker Jorge Rodríguez — addressed the nation, according to footage from the state-run TV channel Venezolana de Televisión (VTV).
“We hope to rescue as many people as possible while they are still alive,” she said. “We have requested international assistance; the first rescue workers from the Dominican Republic are about to land, and others from other countries will arrive shortly.”
Rescue teams are still clearing debris and looking for survivors – Image: Diko Betancourt/Anadolu/picture alliance
US to allow transactions tied to Venezuela earthquake relief
The US Treasury has issued a license authorizing transactions related to earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela that would have been banned under sanctions
into October.
Chilean President Kast calls Rodriguez, says rescuers en route
Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast said he had spoken to Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez “to convey to her Chile‘s solidarity in the difficult times facing the Venezuelan people.”
He pledged aid and personnel to assist in rescue efforts.
“We are managing the urgent delivery of humanitarian aid and the deployment of rescue teams to address the earthquake emergency,” Kast wrote.
Kast’s right-wing government and its predecessors had very strained ties to the administration of former President Nicolas Maduro in recent years.
Like much of the West, Chile did not recognize Maduro as the rightful winner of 2024’s presidential elections. Both countries closed their respective embassies thereafter.
UN relief chief praises offers of help, says ‘massive collective effort’ needed
UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher says aid workers are “fully mobilized to support the people of Venezuela following the deadly and devastating earthquakes.”
Fletcher published a statement saying he was in constant contact with a UN team in Caracas, who in turn were coordinating with Venezuela’s interim administration.
He said the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) was coordinating the deployment of urban search and rescue teams from various countries offering help.
“The solidarity and practical offers from the region and beyond are superb,” Fletcher said. “The coming days will require a massive collective effort to support the Government-led response and help communities.”
Fletcher noted how even before Wednesday’s quake, 8 million people in Venezuela were in need of humanitarian support, a situation that was now only likely to deteriorate.
DW.com/NAN 26-06-26 (UPDATED 27-06-26)
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