Venezuela earthquakes killed at least 920 people and injured 3,360. Foreign rescuers searched collapsed buildings in Caracas and La Guaira on Friday, officials said.
The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors struck about 160 kilometres west of Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, nearly two days earlier. The most serious damage was inflicted on La Guaira, a coastal city near the capital.
The government said hundreds of people remained trapped or missing. A missing-person website had listed more than 50,000 people as unaccounted for by Friday afternoon. Meanwhile, the United Nations aid chief gave a similar tally.
The US Geological Survey warned of a high potential for more than 10,000 deaths. Such a toll would make the disaster one of Latin America’s deadliest earthquakes in the past century.
At least 100 buildings collapsed in La Guaira, including high-rise apartment blocks. Residents said they needed cranes and other heavy equipment to move concrete slabs and reach people still trapped.
Jennifer Palacios, 25, said her 6-year-old son and five relatives were buried when the eight-tower Hugo Chavez housing complex collapsed. She said neighbours had pulled some people out before heavy machinery arrived.
Reuters witnesses saw cracked highways and buildings reduced to concrete and twisted metal. Residents painted the names of buildings on some ruins to help rescuers identify locations.
Rescue teams are racing against time to find survivors nearly two days after twin earthquakes rocked Venezuela, as search efforts approach the critical 72-hour “golden window,” when the chances of finding survivors begin to drop sharply. pic.twitter.com/hMgnJH0hxK
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) June 26, 2026Interim President Delcy Rodriguez pledged a major state response. She said La Guaira state would be militarised to support rescue work. In addition, she said the government had distributed 2,600 tons of food.
Residents said help remained uneven. Firefighters, police, civil protection teams and soldiers worked in some streets. However, other areas relied on volunteers using motorcycles, hand tools and improvised equipment.
Read: Venezuela Earthquakes Kill 235, Trap 200 Near Caracas
Foreign rescue teams began arriving late Thursday. Mexico sent 250 military rescue personnel, five rescue dogs and equipment. Furthermore, India, Switzerland, Colombia, Spain, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador also sent teams or supplies.
The United States said it was mobilising $150 million in aid and easing sanctions for earthquake relief. The US military dispatched two ships and said aircraft would support search-and-rescue operations.
Nearly 7 million people could be affected, according to the UN migration body. Foreign energy companies said Venezuela’s oil sector had avoided major disruption. Meanwhile, the Caracas Stock Exchange remained closed as an aid collection centre.
