South America28 June, 20262 min read
Twin Venezuela Earthquakes Kill More Than 1,430, Rescue Teams Pour Into Caracas And La Guaira
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Twin earthquakes measured 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes in Venezuela. Foreign rescue teams arrive to aid search in La Guaira and Caracas.
Quakes Hit Venezuela
Twin earthquakes in Venezuela struck back-to-back on June 24, with tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 shattering infrastructure across Caracas and La Guaira, according to WPEC. WPEC said latest estimates of the death toll have surpassed 1,430, with thousands injured and nearly 69,000 people still reported missing as rescue operations continue. In La Guaira and parts of Caracas, West Hawaii Today reported the death toll rose above 1,400 on Saturday as foreign rescue teams poured into the country and authorities pressed on with the search for survivors in the hardest-hit coastal areas.
West Hawaii Today said more than 1,600 foreign rescuers had arrived and that additional teams were on the way, adding to a growing international response to the twin quakes that struck on Wednesday and unleashed hundreds of aftershocks. The BBC reported that the earthquakes have killed more than 920 and that the second quake, at a magnitude of 7.5, was one of the strongest to hit there in a century.
Rescue Teams and Politics
The BBC said firefighters from the West Midlands are joining search and rescue teams in Venezuela, with seven volunteers from the West Midlands brigade and a search dog, Luna, being deployed following a request for assistance through the UK Foreign Office. BBC chief fire officer Simon Tuhill said: "Their skills are amongst the best in the world, which is why I know they will be doing so much to assist those in need."
In Washington, The Guardian described the Trump administration scrambling to provide a disaster response mission to Venezuela after a US special forces raid in January deposed Nicolás Maduro. The Guardian quoted Trump saying on Friday, "They had a tremendous earthquake, a lot of people killed right in Caracas and we have a lot of people over there helping," as the state department sent three specialised urban search and rescue teams and pledged a $150m assistance fund.
Aid, Missing, and Aftermath
WPEC said regional resources were completely overwhelmed and that South Floridians could drop off life-saving supplies at a West Palm Beach collection hub starting tomorrow morning, with donation drive dates of Monday, June 29 to Thursday, July 2. WPEC listed urgent items needed including food such as canned goods and easy-to-prepare non-perishables, medical items like first aid kits and 0.9% saline solution, and emergency gear including flashlights with batteries. West Hawaii Today reported that more than 55,000 people are listed as unaccounted for on a website promoted by the country’s opposition, even as the government has said hundreds are missing or trapped.
The BBC said the Venezuelan government confirmed more than 3,360 injured in the quakes and that almost 2,000 international rescue workers had already responded to the call for help, according to the United Nations. In The Guardian, Susan Reichle said the first 72 hours after an earthquake were crucial for reaching survivors, adding that the US response was "This is their first real test, because of the magnitude of the disaster," as DART deployment and urban search and rescue were used as indicators of response pace.