Caracas, June 29 (ANI): Venezuela is grappling with one of the deadliest natural disasters in its modern history after twin powerful earthquakes devastated large parts of the country, leaving at least 1,450 people dead, more than 3,200 injured and thousands displaced. As rescue workers continue to race against time in the search for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings, humanitarian aid and emergency response teams from across the world have poured into the South American nation.
The latest death toll was confirmed by Venezuela’s National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez, who said the number of fatalities has climbed sharply as rescue teams continue to recover bodies from the rubble. Officials said at least 3,238 people have been injured, while more than 3,142 families have been forced to flee their homes after entire neighborhoods were reduced to ruins.
Emergency crews, assisted by thousands of international rescuers, continue to conduct painstaking search-and-rescue operations despite dangerous aftershocks and severe shortages of heavy equipment. Authorities warn that the number of casualties could continue to rise as access is gained to heavily damaged buildings and remote communities.
According to Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodriguez, the country has received an unprecedented international response following the catastrophe. Twenty-four countries have extended assistance by providing humanitarian aid, specialized rescue personnel and technical expertise.
Rodriguez said the international community has already delivered more than 521 tonnes of emergency relief supplies, deployed 86 specialized canine search teams and sent over 2,741 search, rescue and technical support personnel. These teams have integrated with Venezuelan emergency responders and are working around the clock in the country’s hardest-hit regions.
“Our international partners are working side by side with Venezuelan rescue teams to respond jointly to this emergency,” Rodriguez said, thanking governments around the world for their swift humanitarian assistance.
The United States has played a significant role in the international relief effort. The US Southern Command released images and updates showing American military personnel supporting rescue operations alongside local first responders. In one operation, rescuers assisted a US Marine climbing through unstable piles of debris while searching for survivors trapped inside collapsed buildings.
In a statement posted on X, the US Southern Command said rescue crews were “racing against the clock to save lives” and were operating day and night across the worst-affected communities. The command said US military forces, acting under its direction, are supporting US Department of State-led disaster assistance efforts for the people of Venezuela.
Earlier in the crisis, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that specialized urban search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles had been deployed to Venezuela. He said additional teams would follow as needed.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Bahrain, Rubio described search-and-rescue efforts as the immediate priority.
“The most urgent need right now is to locate and rescue people trapped beneath collapsed structures,” Rubio said. “These first 48 to 72 hours are absolutely critical for saving lives.”
Rubio noted that Venezuela’s airport had suffered extensive damage, requiring US military logistical support to transport rescue personnel and equipment into the country. He also said the United States was providing overhead imagery to help Venezuelan authorities assess damage, particularly in coastal areas where communications had been disrupted.
The United States has also pledged continued humanitarian support as rescue operations transition into long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts.
The earthquakes struck Venezuela in rapid succession, becoming the most powerful seismic event to hit the country in more than a century.
According to the US Geological Survey, the first earthquake measured approximately magnitude 7.2 before a second, even stronger magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck roughly 40 seconds later. Because earthquake magnitudes are measured on a logarithmic scale, experts noted that the second quake released significantly more energy than the first, dramatically increasing the scale of destruction.
Since the initial twin earthquakes, the country has continued to experience numerous aftershocks and smaller tremors. The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre later detected another magnitude 5.6 earthquake off Venezuela’s coast near Aragua, adding to concerns about structural instability and further complicating rescue efforts.
Authorities said recurring aftershocks have repeatedly forced rescue workers to temporarily suspend operations due to fears of additional building collapses.
Entire sections of Caracas, La Guaira, Caraballeda and neighboring communities suffered catastrophic structural damage. Hospitals have struggled to cope with thousands of injured residents while temporary shelters continue to house displaced families.
Despite the overwhelming destruction, rescue workers continue to report occasional miracles.
Rodriguez announced that an 11-year-old boy was pulled alive from the rubble in Caraballeda several days after the disaster struck.
“In these hours, every life is hope for Venezuela,” she said, describing the rescue as a symbol of perseverance amid the tragedy.
As emergency operations continue, the Venezuelan government has established a presidential commission to conduct a nationwide assessment of damaged housing, schools, hospitals, roads and other public infrastructure.
The commission will oversee evaluations needed to determine reconstruction priorities and coordinate rebuilding efforts with international partners.
Recognizing the widespread destruction affecting schools throughout the country, Rodriguez also announced that educational institutions would remain closed for an additional week while safety inspections are completed.
The humanitarian crisis has prompted an outpouring of international solidarity.
Rodriguez publicly thanked numerous world leaders who offered assistance following the disaster, including Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, President Mahmoud Abbas of the State of Palestine, Costa Rican President Laura Fernandez, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
Spain dispatched rescue personnel and emergency assistance, while Colombia mobilized its USAR COL-1 urban search-and-rescue unit consisting of more than 60 specialists, canine teams and several tonnes of specialized rescue equipment.
The Dominican Republic was among the first countries to dispatch emergency responders, with rescue teams arriving shortly after Rodriguez appealed for international assistance.
Officials said humanitarian aid has also been pledged by several other nations, including Qatar, Chile and El Salvador.
International organizations have likewise stepped forward to support recovery efforts.
Rodriguez said Venezuela is coordinating closely with the United Nations to facilitate additional rescue operations and humanitarian assistance. Discussions are also underway with the International Monetary Fund regarding the creation of an initial US$200 million reconstruction fund to help finance rebuilding efforts.
While emergency responders remain focused on saving lives, experts warn that Venezuela now faces an enormous long-term recovery challenge.
The earthquakes struck at a particularly vulnerable time for the country.
Once one of Latin America’s wealthiest oil producers, Venezuela has endured years of severe economic hardship driven by prolonged US-led sanctions, hyperinflation, political instability, widespread corruption and declining oil production despite possessing the world’s largest proven petroleum reserves.
The country’s economy has contracted dramatically over the past decade, with gross domestic product shrinking by roughly 80 percent since 2013.
Political changes earlier this year also reshaped the country’s leadership after the capture of former President Nicolas Maduro in January. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has since pursued cautious economic reforms, worked to attract foreign investment into Venezuela’s oil industry and sought improved relations with Washington as sanctions have gradually eased.
Although oil production has begun recovering, inflation remains high and many Venezuelans continue to struggle with low wages, making reconstruction efforts even more challenging.
For thousands of families who have lost loved ones, homes and livelihoods, the immediate priority remains survival.
Rescue crews continue working around the clock across the devastated landscape, searching damaged apartment buildings, schools, hospitals and commercial structures in hopes of finding additional survivors before the critical rescue window closes.
As international assistance continues to arrive and recovery operations expand, Venezuelan authorities have vowed to rebuild affected communities while expressing gratitude for the unprecedented global response.
For now, however, the focus remains on the tireless efforts of rescuers digging through mountains of rubble in search of signs of life, offering hope amid one of the darkest chapters in Venezuela’s recent history. (ANI)
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