President Donald Trump said late Wednesday that two powerful earthquakes in Venezuela had caused “a devastating number of deaths” and that the United States was ready to help, according to a post on his Truth Social account.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said Thursday that at least 32 people were killed and more than 700 were injured, the first official casualty figures from the government.
The U.S. Geological Survey said an initial magnitude 7.2 quake struck at 6:04 p.m. ET with an epicenter about 15 miles east-northeast of San Felipe. Thirty-nine seconds later, the agency said, a magnitude 7.5 quake hit with an epicenter about 14 miles southeast of Yumare. The USGS issued a rare red alert, saying “high casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread.”
Officials said the quakes caused widespread damage, including in the capital, Caracas, where buildings were damaged and rescue crews searched through rubble. Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and said the tremors were followed by nearly two dozen aftershocks. In a televised address she urged Venezuelans to “remain calm” and called for “unity.”
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X that American officials were in contact with Venezuelan authorities and working to deliver assistance. The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said the U.S. government was “closely monitoring the aftermath” and urged U.S. citizens in Venezuela to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program and follow embassy updates.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
