Overview
- Two powerful earthquakes struck northwest Venezuela about 39 seconds apart on Wednesday evening, the USGS recorded magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and many aftershocks followed.
- Venezuelan authorities report at least 235 dead and more than 4,300 people treated in public hospitals while thousands more are listed as missing on unverified lists.
- Rescue teams are racing to find survivors but operations are slowed by collapsed buildings, damaged transport hubs, power and communications outages, and shortages of heavy equipment.
- A broad international response is arriving or en route, with search‑and‑rescue teams from Germany (THW), the United States, Mexico and others plus UN coordination and emergency material pledges; Starlink has offered temporary internet service.
- The disaster hits a country already strained by long‑running humanitarian and political crises, officials warn the 72‑hour rescue window is critical, and a USGS impact model projects a much larger worst‑case death toll that remains unconfirmed.