Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela’s acting president, said the number of people killed after two powerful earthquakes that struck the country on Wednesday has climbed to 589, while official figures put the number of injured at about 2,980.
The quakes struck in quick succession on Wednesday evening, with a 7.2-magnitude earthquake followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude tremor, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).
The first quake hit west of Morón on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, roughly 170 kilometres (105 miles) west of Caracas, while the second was centred southwest of Morón at a shallow depth, helping to intensify the damage across the region.
Officials have said the hardest-hit area is La Guaira, a coastal state north of Caracas, where buildings collapsed, roads were damaged and rescue crews have been searching through rubble for survivors.
In the aftermath of the disaster, President Donald Trump said the United States was prepared to support rescue operations.
“The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths,” he wrote on Truth Social.
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good!!! President DJT.”
Independent online registries set up by families and volunteers have listed more than 40,000 missing people, with some trackers approaching 46,000, though authorities have not confirmed a comparable official figure.
Officials say many of those reported missing may still be trapped, uncontactable because of damaged communications, or travelling in and out of badly affected neighbourhoods as rescue work continues.
During an address on state television on Friday, Rodríguez said rescue teams had pulled dozens of survivors from the wreckage and that the death toll could still rise as crews reached collapsed buildings in Caracas and surrounding areas.
She also said La Guaira would be “militarised” as part of the emergency response effort, with soldiers helping secure the area while food, water and medical aid are distributed.
Rodríguez said more than 200 aftershocks had already been recorded, underscoring the instability of the fault system that produced what seismologists call a “doublet” earthquake.
USGS scientists have said the twin quakes were unusually powerful and struck along the complex boundary between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates, a region capable of producing severe shaking and widespread structural damage.
Firefighters, soldiers, volunteers and international rescue teams have been working through collapsed homes, apartment blocks and public buildings as they continue trying to find more survivors.
Large parts of northern Venezuela, including communities beyond the capital, have suffered severe destruction, and officials fear the number of fatalities may continue to rise as more areas are reached.
International assistance is also beginning to reach the country, with several nations sending rescue specialists, medical personnel and equipment to support the ongoing recovery effort.
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