Venezuela jolted by two massive earthquakes, nearly 600 confirmed dead, thousands missing

New Delhi: Venezuela has been struck by two massive earthquakes, triggering widespread destruction across the South American nation and prompting a major rescue operation. According to latest reports, the confirmed death toll has reached at least 589, while more than 4,300 people have been injured and thousands remain missing.

The country’s health minister said the northern coastal region of La Guaira has recorded the highest number of casualties as rescue teams continue searching through the rubble for survivors.

The twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck less than a minute apart on Wednesday afternoon. According to the US Geological Survey (USGS), the epicentre was located about 160 kilometres west of Caracas. The 7.5-magnitude quake is the strongest earthquake to hit Venezuela since 1900, causing extensive damage to buildings, roads and critical infrastructure across several regions.

Among the worst-hit areas is La Guaira state, home to Venezuela’s principal international airport and one of the country’s major seaports. The country’s interior minister, Diosdado Cabello, said more than 100 buildings had collapsed in the coastal state, while over 70,000 families have been affected by the disaster.

The vice-president, CP Radhakrishnan, conveyed his condolences and expressed solidarity with the people affected by the disaster. The prime minister, Narendra Modi, also expressed grief over the devastation caused by the earthquakes. In a post on X, he extended his condolences to the families of those killed and assured India’s support during the crisis.

World leaders and governments across the globe offered support as Venezuela grappled with the aftermath of the catastrophe. The US president, Donald Trump, said federal agencies had been instructed to prepare an immediate response, while the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, announced the deployment of search-and-rescue teams, medical resources and humanitarian assistance.

The French president, Emmanuel Macron, and the Spanish prime minister, Pedro Sánchez, extended condolences to the victims and their families. China said it was prepared to assist relief efforts, while El Salvador offered to send 300 rescuers and paramedics along with 50 tonnes of equipment, medicines and essential supplies to Caracas.

Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, said a state of emergency would be declared and indicated that the government would seek international assistance to support rescue, relief and recovery operations. Authorities warned that casualty figures could continue to rise as assessment and rescue work progresses in the affected regions.

The Amnesty International secretary general, Agnes Callamard, warned that the earthquakes could further worsen Venezuela’s long-running humanitarian crisis. She urged authorities to ensure relief efforts comply with international humanitarian standards and called on the international community to mobilise urgent assistance for those affected.

Meanwhile, rescue workers continued combing through collapsed buildings as international aid began arriving in the country, with thousands of families facing an uncertain recovery in the wake of Venezuela’s deadliest earthquake disaster in more than a century.