At least 589 people have been confirmed dead in Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes struck overnight on Wednesday.
The US military arrived on Thursday to assist with coordinating aid efforts in the country, the military said.
US southern command said it was supporting relief operations on Friday, adding that the interim government of Venezuela had formally requested American support. The military is to provide specialised equipment and assist with search and rescue efforts.
Acting president Delcy Rodriguez said on Friday that at least 2,980 people were injured in the double earthquake, while nearly 50,000 are missing.
“We are going to rescue the people who are trapped,” she said, adding: “We are working tirelessly on this task.”
Rescuers continued to search through mounds of rubble after tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck within 39 seconds of each other west of the capital Caracas.
The US Geological Survey said there was a 44 per cent probability that fatalities could exceed 10,000.
Read MoreNeighbors dig through Venezuela rubble to search for loved ones after 2 deadly earthquakes
Venezuelans in US launch aid drives after earthquakes despite Caracas airport closure
What is an earthquake ‘doublet’ and why is Venezuela prone to deadly tremors?
Key Points
- Death toll rises to 235
- Venezuelan earthquake survivor: 'I thought I was going to die'
- Army and heavy machinery to be deployed to worst hit areas
- UN will 'mobilize the capabilities of its system' to help Venezuelans: Delcy Rodríguez
What is an earthquake ‘doublet’ and why is Venezuela prone to deadly tremors?
15:34 , Maira ButtOn Wednesday evening just after 6pm local time, two earthquakes violently shook northern Venezuela.
The first one struck near San Felipe, the capital of the state of Yaracuy. Just 39 seconds later, another quake struck near the town of Yumare, within 5 to 10km from the first one.
Powerful ground shaking was felt across the region, including in Venezuela’s capital Caracas about 150km east of the earthquake epicentres. Buildings collapsed, and authorities report the casualty toll may be in the thousands.
In addition to strong shaking, ground failure including landslides and liquefaction are anticipated to have occurred throughout the region. The earthquakes happened in a mountainous region where slope failures are common. And the type of sediment beneath Caracas amplifies seismic waves and enhances earthquake damage.
According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquakes were a “doublet”: a magnitude 7.2 foreshock followed 39 seconds later by a main shock, this one with a magnitude of 7.5.
China's president extends condolences to Venezuelan leader
15:00 , Maira ButtChinese president Xi Jinping has expressed his condolences to Venezuela’s president Delcy Rodriguez on Friday as thousands remained missing and the death toll from the devastating earthquake hit 235.
Xi said that the country was ready to provide aid and assistance in reconstruction efforts.
Venezuelans hope online posts will bring news of missing after devastating earthquakes
14:30 , Maira ButtA father holds the hand of his daughter dressed as a fairy. A 24-year-old man in a pilot uniform stares proudly at the camera. A family embraces each other on a soccer field.
They are among the images posted by relatives within Venezuela and abroad desperately searching for their missing loved ones following two powerful, back-to-back earthquakes on Wednesday evening.
Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said late Thursday that the death toll had risen to around 235, with at least 4,300 people injured. The number of casualties is expected to climb after the 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude quakes that caused widespread damage and were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.
Venezuelans hope online posts will bring news of missing after devastating earthquakes
How to help those impacted by the Venezuela earthquakes
14:00 , Maira ButtTwo powerful, back-to-back earthquakes shook Venezuela Wednesday evening, collapsing buildings, killing hundreds and leaving thousands more missing across the northern part of the country. Many more are feared dead.
Governments, nonprofits and members of the Venezuelan diaspora around the world are mobilizing to respond after the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes, to help find the missing and deliver medical care and humanitarian services to the thousands of injured and displaced.
Help is needed for search and rescue efforts, emergency shelter for displaced families and emergency health care, followed by safe water and sanitation, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
How to help those impacted by the Venezuela earthquakes
Full story: Dramatic moment woman pulled from rubble after Venezuela earthquake kills hundreds
13:30 , Maira ButtA woman was pulled from the rubble alive in dramatic scenes after an earthquake in Venezuela killed hundreds and inflicted devastation on the South American nation.
At least 235 people are dead and rescuers are desperately searching for nearly 50,000 people missing following back-to-back earthquakes that hit Venezuela on Wednesday afternoon.
But in a rare scene of hope amid a wave of grief, Graciela Mora was conscious as she was pulled from the rubble by emergency workers and volunteers, speaking to a camera about her ordeal while she still lay on a stretcher on the rubble.
Alex Croft reports:
Dramatic moment woman pulled from rubble after Venezuela earthquake kills hundreds
Watch: Woman pulled alive from rubble after Venezuela earthquakes
13:00 , Maira ButtSatellite images of Venezuela show devastation caused by double earthquake
12:30 , Maira ButtNew satellite images have laid bare the devastating destruction wrought by a double earthquake in Venezuela this week.
On Wednesday 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes struck within 39 seconds of each other west of the capital Caracas.
At least 235 people have been confirmed dead so far, 4,300 injured and nearly 50,000 people have been reported missing.
Interim president Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency after the earthquakes caused building collapses in the capital and forced the closure of the nation’s main international airport.
The US Geological Survey said there was a 44 per cent probability that fatalities could exceed 10,000.
Satellite images of Venezuela show devastation caused by double earthquake
Ex-New York Mets pitcher says he narrowly escaped death in Venezuela earthquake
12:05 , Maira ButtFormer New York Mets pitcher Jenrry Mejia has claimed he narrowly escaped death in Wednesday’s devastating earthquakes in Venezuela thanks to “divine intervention.”
According to Dominican newspaper Diario Libre, Meija, 36, told Dominican sports radio show Manana Deportiva that his life was saved after an elevator in the Caracas hotel in which he was staying delivered him to the wrong floor.
The baseball star explained that he had just finished a workout in the resort’s gym and was returning to his room when the first quake struck.
Ex-New York Mets pitcher says he narrowly escaped death in Venezuela earthquake
US military arrives in Venezuela to support aid efforts six months after Maduro capture
11:36 , Maira ButtThe US military has arrived in Venezuela to assist with coordinating aid efforts in the country, the military said on Thursday.
“Southern Command is supporting Department of State-led US government relief operations in Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes that struck the nation,” the military said.
“The interim Government of Venezuela formally requested US support following the earthquakes.”
The military is to provide specialised equipment and assist with search and rescue and aid efforts.
The support comes six months after US forces captured Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro.
Watch: Satellite images show before and after Venezuela earthquake
11:15 , Maira ButtForeign victims of Venezuela twin earthquakes
10:45 , Vishwam SankaranForeign nationals have been confirmed to be among those who died following the earthquakes in Venezuela, including two Chinese nationals and two Brazilians.
Brazil's foreign ministry said two of its citizens, a man and a woman, died in the quakes, adding that the government is assisting the relatives of the deceased.
China too confirmed the death of two of its citizens from the quake, urging its citizens in Venezuela to take precautions against aftershocks.
Portugal's foreign ministry said one of its citizens was pulled alive from the rubble, but the man died on his way to the hospital.
*NOTA FARNESINA*
— Marco Di Fonzo 🇪🇺 (@marcodifonzo) June 25, 2026
Il Ministero degli Esteri ha avuto conferma del decesso di un cittadino italo-venezuelano, nato a Caracas nel 1970, con parenti in Italia. Il connazionale è stato coinvolto nel crollo di un edificio a La Guaira, a 30 chilometri da Caracas, una delle zone più…
A middle-aged Italian-Venezuelan man holding citizenship in both countries is among the dead, Rome's foreign ministry said.
The death toll currently stands at 235, with more than 4,000 injured and thousands still missing.
Wife of Venezuelan footballer among dead
10:15 , Vishwam SankaranAndrea Bello, the wife of Venezuelan footballer Héctor Bello, has been confirmed dead following the collapse of a building in La Guaira.
Ms Bello died while trying to protect her surviving daughter, according to local news reports.
"Your mom left us...How am I supposed to tell my daughter that?" the footballer wrote on Instagram.
Giselle Reyes, a 1985 Miss Venezuela beauty pageant, confirmed the death of her mother from the earthquakes.
Oil production unharmed by quakes
09:45 , Vishwam SankaranVenezuela's oil production remains unharmed by the twin quakes that battered the country, preliminary assessments suggest.
Most of the country's major oil-producing regions, as well as refineries, pipelines and terminals, are far from the affected cities, Reuters reported.
But it remains unclear whether the lack of power across several parts of the country would affect oil production significantly.
The status of state operations is unclear.
Workers at Venezuela's largest refining complex, Paraguana, said they were operating at the same levels as before the quakes.
Major energy companies in Venezuela have been accounting for staff after the quakes.
US giant Chevron and the UK's Shell said all personnel had been accounted for and that the companies remain operational.
Why was La Guaira affected the most when the earthquake epicentre was in Yaracuy?
09:15 , Vishwam SankaranAlthough the epicentre of the first earthquake was traced to the state of Yaracuy, the area’s rocky terrain dissipated the seismic waves effectively.
The seismic waves travelled from hard rock areas to sand, sediment, and soft soil regions like that of La Guaira, geologists said.
Seismic energy also intensified as it moved in this particular direction as the waves of the two quakes combined.
As the waves travelled, they also transformed from a deep, vertical shockwave in Yaracuy into a massive, shallow seismic swarm in La Guaira, built on steep slopes and mountain ridges that amplified the effect.
Chinese nationals among dead in Venezuela quakes
08:46 , Vishwam SankaranTwo Chinese nationals have been confirmed dead in the twin earthquakes as of 4 pm local time Thursday, the Chinese embassy in Venezuela said.
The death toll has increased to 235 with at least 4,300 people injured, according to Venezuelan health minister Carlos Alvarado.
"Unfortunately, we have received around 235 patients who arrive without vital signs or die when they arrive at our health facilities," Mr Alvarado told AP.
The number of dead is expected to increase as rescue operations look for those trapped under rubble, with thousands still reported missing.
In pictures: Rescue efforts continue in worst hit La Guaira
08:15 , Vishwam Sankaran
What to expect in coming days
07:45 , Vishwam SankaranSeismologists caution people living in Venezuela to be aware of aftershocks that could be felt in the coming weeks following the massive twin earthquakes.
The US Geological Survey warns that there is an 84 per cent chance of one or more aftershocks larger than magnitude 5, which can be damaging, within the next week.
Notable quake, preliminary info: M 7.5 - 16 km SW of Morón, Venezuela https://t.co/abXtXq2euP
— USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) June 24, 2026
There could be smaller aftershocks of magnitude 3 or higher within the next week, the American agency said.
"At the time of this forecast, there have been 3 magnitude 3 or higher aftershocks, which are strong enough to be felt nearby, and 1 magnitude 5 or higher aftershocks, which are large enough to do damage," it said in its latest update.
"Aftershock rates will decrease over time, but may remain elevated over the following year or longer," according to the USGS.
Different earthquakes
— USGS Earthquakes (@USGS_Quakes) June 25, 2026
- there were two earthquakes within ~40 seconds of each other
The agency said there is a one in five chance of magnitude 6 and above aftershocks within the next week, adding that it is most likely that "0 to 2 of these will occur".
"There is a 2 per cent chance of magnitude 7 and above aftershocks within the next week; such an earthquake is possible but with a low probability," USGS said.
"There is a 1 in 100 chance that this earthquake becomes a foreshock to a larger earthquake (magnitude 7.5 or greater) in the next week; such an earthquake is possible but with a low probability," it said.
International aid headed to Venezuela
07:15 , Vishwam SankaranHumanitarian organisations and governments across the globe are sending rescue teams and case for quake-hit Venezuela, where hundreds are feared dead, and thousands are missing.
Officials say at least 235 people were killed and over 4,300 injured from the twin quakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, among the strongest in Venezuela in over a century.
UN aid chief Tom Fletcher said the organisation was coordinating the deployment of search-and-rescue teams.
Long day for our superb team in Venezuela and at HQ. We’re coordinating surge of urban search and rescue teams from across world, with more on way. Extra colleagues surging in tonight alongside Swiss responders. I’ve released 15m USD from emergency fund. Every hour counts. https://t.co/LtYHa6LE2p
— Tom Fletcher (@UNReliefChief) June 25, 2026
"The coming days will require a massive collective effort to support the government-led response and help communities," Mr Fletcher said.
US said it is mobilising $150 million in humanitarian aid and two urban search-and-rescue units for Venezuela.
SECRETARY RUBIO: "I had an opportunity to talk earlier this morning with Delcy Rodríguez, the acting President. We're already deploying search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles." pic.twitter.com/Ptvxg8u5ms
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 25, 2026
"That's their most immediate need right now, is search and rescue efforts," US secretary of state Marco Rubio said earlier.
The founder of humanitarian meal provider World Central Kitchen, Chef Jose Andres, said he's contributing $1 million to help Venezuela.
Ya se encuentra en camino el primero de tres aviones que trasladan al personal, equipo e insumos que brindarán ayuda a nuestros hermanos venezolanos.
— Nayib Bukele (@nayibbukele) June 25, 2026
Que Dios los guíe y los proteja durante esta misión 🇸🇻🇻🇪 pic.twitter.com/pCOQAFmZcT
Salvador's president, Nayib Bukele, announced on X that 300 rescue workers and paramedics are prepared to travel to Venezuela, along with 50 tons of medical supplies.
Countries, including Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador and Panama, as well as France, Spain and Italy, have all announced deployment of emergency rescue teams to help the quake-hit country.
Movement of Pacific and Caribbean tectonic plates behind Venezuela quake
06:45 , Vishwam SankaranThe devastating earthquakes in Venezuela are related to the movement of the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates and the Boconó fault system, a 500km-long active geological fault running through the Mérida Andes and northeastern Colombia, researchers say.
Two blocks of the Earth's crust slipped in a side-to-side manner with respect to each other, triggering the quake, according to Harold Tobin, director of the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network, a coalition of seismologists monitoring earthquake activity in the region.
"Strike-slip faults tend to produce strong seismic shaking, especially near and along the length of the fault that moved," Dr Tobin told the New York Times.
He compared the event to the movement of the Anatolian Fault, which devastated Turkey in 2023.
Watch: Rescue operations begin as 7.5 magnitude earthquake hits Venezuela
06:15 , Rachel DobkinVenezuela earthquake mapped: Death toll ‘could exceed 10,000’ after powerful twin tremors
05:45 , Stuti MishraTwo powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday night, killing at least 32 people and injuring more than 700.
Authorities warned the death toll was likely to run into the thousands as the back-to-back tremors collapsed buildings across the capital Caracas and surrounding areas.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160km west of Caracas and it was followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, the US Geological Survey said, adding that the death toll would most likely exceed 10,000.
Read on...
Venezuela earthquake mapped: Death toll ‘could exceed 10,000’ after twin tremors
Delcy Rodríguez pictured overseeing rescue efforts
05:15 , Rachel DobkinVenezeula’s Ministry of Communication and Information has shared photos of acting President Delcy Rodríguez overseeing rescue efforts after the country was devastated by back-to-back earthquakes.
#Galería 📸 | Presidenta (E) Rodríguez supervisa labores de rescate en Macuto por doble terremoto pic.twitter.com/SJb8ci6nne
— Ministerio de Comunicación e Información (@mippci_ven) June 26, 2026
UN will 'mobilize the capabilities of its system' to help Venezuelans: Delcy Rodríguez
04:45 , Rachel DobkinThe United Nations will “mobilize the capabilities of its system and its agencies” to help Venezuelans in the aftermath of back-to-back earthquakes, the country’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez has said.
“I have spoken with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, who has expressed to me his deepest solidarity with the Venezuelan people and his condolences for the tragedy that is mourning Venezuela”, Rodríguez wrote on X.
In a follow-up post, the Venezuelan interim president said the UN “has expressed to us its full willingness to mobilize the capabilities of its system and its agencies, with the purpose of supporting the efforts to address the emergency that our country is facing”.
In pictures: Buildings turn to rubble after back-to-back earthquakes
04:15 , Rachel Dobkin
ICYMI: Trump offers to help ‘great friends’ in Venezuela after devastating earthquakes leave dozens dead
03:45 , Owen ScottUS President Trump has offered help to his “great friends” in Venezuela after back-to-back earthquakes left dozens of people dead.
Early estimates suggest thousands of people may have been killed after the two earthquakes hit an area west of Venezuela’s capital, Caracas, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5.
“The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths”, Trump wrote on Truth Social. “The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help!”
Read on...
Trump offers to help ‘great friends’ in Venezuela after devastating earthquakes
Venezuelan earthquake survivor: 'I thought I was going to die'
03:15 , Rachel DobkinA survivor of the earthquakes in Venezuela has recalled his harrowing escape.
“I thought I was going to die. You could hear pieces of concrete breaking off the walls”, Billy Ebrin of Caracas told Al Jazeera.
Ebrin and hundreds of his neighbors ran to the ground floor of his apartment building when the shaking from the back-to-back earthquakes stopped.
“People were bumping into each other in the confusion: elderly people, people carrying their pets, even squirrels and parrots”, Ebrin said. “There were people in their underwear”.
Ebrin called the experience “terrifying”.
Death toll jumps
03:12 , Alex LangThe death toll from the Venezuela earthquakes now sits at roughly 235, the country’s health minister said and reported by the Associated Press.
The number injured now sits at 4,300.
Watch: Venezuelan resident films terrifying high-rise escape as building crumbles during earthquake
02:45 , Rachel DobkinBrazil sends 'nine tons of equipment' to help Venezuelans, president says
02:15 , Rachel DobkinBrazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has announced that his country has deployed “nine tons of equipment to assist in the search and rescue of victims” affected by the two earthquakes in Venezuela.
Lula said the equipment will be sent on Friday with 36 firefighters and eight technicians.
“On Saturday, we will send another flight with equipment for setting up a field hospital, one hundred solar-powered water purifiers, medications, and medical supplies for surgeries.
“We will continue to monitor the progress of the rescue operations for the victims in order to provide all necessary support to our Venezuelan brothers and sisters”, the Brazilian leader wrote on X.
Venezuelan lawmaker emphasizes importance of rescue efforts
01:45 , Rachel DobkinJorge Rodríguez, the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, has emphasized the importance of rescue efforts following the two devastating earthquakes.
"This is the time to rescue people and attend to those under the rubble”, he said, per the country’s Ministry of Communication and Information.
Venezuelan leader shares photos of Dominican Republic first responders deployment
01:15 , Rachel DobkinActing president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, has shared photos of first responders from the Dominican Republic deploying to her country to help in the aftermath of the earthquakes.
Se encuentran ya en camino hacia nuestro país los primeros rescatistas provenientes de República Dominicana, para apoyar las labores de atención al pueblo venezolano ante esta terrible tragedia. pic.twitter.com/1cXfa5LVfD
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) June 25, 2026
US deploying emergency response teams in Venezuela
Friday 26 June 2026 00:45 , Rachel DobkinThe US State Department has announced it will deploy a regional Disaster Assistance Response Team and urban search-and-rescue teams to help Venezuelans following the deadly earthquakes.
🛫 U.S. search and rescue teams are already en route to Venezuela and more support is coming. pic.twitter.com/rlLEsHjrHO
— Department of State (@StateDept) June 25, 2026
Delcy Rodríguez convenes a 'National Ecumenical Prayer' in earthquake aftermath
Friday 26 June 2026 00:15 , Rachel DobkinActing president Delcy Rodríguez has convened a “National Ecumenical Prayer” as Venezuela reels from two devastating earthquakes.
Rodríguez “made a call for spiritual unity and solidarity among all Venezuelans,” the country’s Ministry of Communication and Information announced on social media.
Pictured: Damaged buildings and streets following earthquake
Thursday 25 June 2026 23:45 , Rebecca Whittaker
Army and heavy machinery to be deployed to worst hit areas
Thursday 25 June 2026 23:15 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Venezuelan government has deployed the army and sent heavy machinery to the worst hit areas to help remove large amounts of debris.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez met with the army's general staff to coordinate urgent relief measures for La Guaira state.
In addition to removing rubble, the army is set to organise support logistics for water, food, blankets, and mattresses, as many people have lost their homes.
