Earthquakes Devastate Venezuela

Venezuela has been struck by two significant earthquakes, leading to reports of numerous collapsed buildings and fatalities.

According to updates from Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodríguez on Thursday morning, at least 164 people are confirmed dead and close to 1,000 injured. The hardest hit area appears to be La Guaira, located north of Caracas along the coast, where many structures have fallen.

The first quake, a foreshock measuring 7.2, occurred at 6:04 p.m. local time on Wednesday, originating from the northern part of the country. Just 39 seconds later, a larger quake followed, measured at 7.5, as reported by the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Interestingly, initial estimations suggest that these earthquakes could potentially lead to over 10,000 fatalities, with a probability of about 42%. This also implies significant economic ramifications, possibly ranging from 1% to 7% of Venezuela’s GDP.

In the aftermath, various nations and global leaders have extended support to Venezuela. U.S. President Donald Trump expressed his condolences and readiness to assist through a post on Truth Social that evening.

“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,” said the U.S. president. “The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!!”

Additionally, Secretary of State Marco Rubio outlined the immediate support being provided by the U.S.

“America stands with the Venezuelan people during this difficult time and at the direction of President Trump, the State Department is immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela,” Rubio posted on X on Thursday.

This situation is still evolving. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.