Venezuela earthquakes kill at least 235 and injure more than 4,300 as rescue efforts continue

A senior U.S. Southern Command official arrived in Caracas late Thursday to oversee Defense Department relief efforts, the military said.

Marine Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard will work to coordinate the U.S. response to the earthquake disaster in Venezuela, said the command, known as SOUTHCOM for short.

"Assigned U.S. military forces will utilize fixed and rotor wing aircraft to provide specialized mobility services and assist U.S. Government personnel, search and rescue teams, and partners assessing damage and delivering critical life-saving assistance," it said.

Pope Leo has sent an “an initial €100,000 emergency donation” to Venezuela to help the country as it searches for survivors, Vatican News reported today.

The aid “is only a first step, with further assistance to follow in response to the needs identified by the local Church,” it reported, citing the Holy See.

Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, visited the town of Macuto in the state of La Guaira as rescue efforts for the missing continued in the wake of the earthquake tragedy, Reuters reported.

“We are supporting the families, and they have our solidarity. We hope to recover alive as many people as possible,” she said, according to video from the Reuters news agency.

Jesuska Inciarte is “still in shock” after yesterday’s devastating earthquakes and is waiting for word about her cousin and her cousin’s 1-month-old baby.

Inciarte, who lives in Kentucky, has heard from some relatives in Venezuela since the quake but still doesn’t know about her cousin Victoria Campos or infant Ailany Campos.

Inciarte’s nieces and sister, as well as her mother and her mother’s caretakers, were in Caracas when the quakes rattled the city. “Thank God they survived,” she said. Her mother lives on the 12th floor of a 20-floor building, which she said sustained only a small amount of damage.

But Inciarte’s cousin and her baby were in La Guaira when the disaster began unfolding, and the family has not received any information or updates about them. 

Inciarte said on Facebook that she was working on organizing resources to assist people in Venezuela. 

She told NBC News, “I can’t believe this, but at the same time I feel like I have a purpose right now in trying to help people from here.” 

More than 4,300 people have been injured in the Venezuela earthquakes, the country’s health minister said.

The majority of patients are experiencing mild symptoms, Health Minister ‌Carlos Alvarado said on state TV, but there have also been “moderate and severe cases.”

The public health system had reached its capacity as of 7 p.m. today, he said.

Health Minister ‌Carlos Alvarado said today that around 235 people had died after they were taken to healthcare facilities without vital signs.

“An extraordinary effort is underway nationwide. The highest number of injured and deceased is in La Guaira state,” he said in an interview on state television.

“In La Guaira state, the hospitals are very full of patients, and we’ve set up field hospitals,” he said.

La Guaira state is along the coast north of Caracas.

Thousands of miles away in New Jersey, Venezuelan immigrants have been checking for updates from back home.

“My country is not up to whatever just happened,” Gabriella Mazzei told NBC New York, saying it was sad to see the news of the missing and injured people.

Mazzei and her sister, Veronica, who co-own a bistro in Cliffside Park, have been checking for updates sent by cellphone from family members and friends since the earthquake collapsed buildings in the country yesterday.

Caraballeda, La Guaira state, some 40 km northeast of Caracas today.  Federico Parra / AFP via Getty Images

A cousin of Veronica's friend said members of his family are among the missing after their home collapsed.

Andras Jaspe, a Venezuelan immigrant celebrating a graduation in Union City, told the station that when he heard about the earthquakes, “it was unbelievable.”

“It’s the first time I see something like that in my country,” he said, adding, “It’s very traumatizing.”

Back-to-back earthquakes hit Venezuela, killing at least 188 people and injuring thousands.

Search for survivors underway as earthquake in Venezuela puts strain on resources

02:54

The U.S. State Department said today that it is mobilizing $150 million in aid for Venezuela.

The State Department said the aid was going through assistance partners like charity groups and a $100 million contribution to a U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs fund.

Tom Fletcher, head of the U.N. agency, wrote on social media that that search-and-rescue teams were being sent from around the world.

“Every hour counts,” Fletcher wrote.

María Corina Machado in May. Matias Delacroix / AP file

Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado said her fellow Venezuelans are unified in grief after yesterday's devastating earthquakes.

“We are once again witnessing endless acts of generosity from Venezuelans abroad,” Machado, who was an opposition figure against the Maduro regime, said in a video message.

She called on help for her country, saying, “Venezuela needs all of us.”

“I know how each one of you feels — those of you inside the country, those of you outside — at a time when our country has been struck at its very soul and when we have all lost loved ones who have died or who, to this day, remain missing,” she said.

Machado is living in exile. She said in May that said she plans to return home and seek the presidency again, The Associated Press has reported.

The Rev. Ricardo Corzo Moreno had just started watching the Scotland-vs.-Brazil World Cup match when he got an alert about the first earthquake striking Venezuela. About five seconds later, his third-floor apartment in a 14-story building began to shake. He and his family ran for the door, but it wouldn't open. Nearly a minute passed before they could get out of their apartment and head down the stairs. By the time they got to the second floor, the second earthquake had struck, he said in a telephone interview.

Corzo, who lived a number of years in Los Angeles, said his apartment is on the east side of Caracas, so it was not hit as badly by the earthquake as other parts of the city.

But he and his wife and children and many of his neighbors have been sleeping and staying in their cars, nervous about returning to their buildings. Reached this afternoon, he had not slept since 6 p.m. Venezuela time yesterday, too afraid another strike might happen while he slept. He and his family planned to return to their apartment today, but he said they'd sleep in shifts, so one person is always awake should they need to rush out again.

Copa Airlines said in a statement this afternoon that following official notification from the Venezuelan aviation authorities, it will resume regular flights to and from the city of Valencia and that starting tomorrow it will resume operations to and from Barcelona, Barquisimeto and Maracaibo, according to the regular schedule.

However, flights to and from Caracas will remain suspended until July 2, subject to changes in operating conditions.

The airline said it will offer date and origin/destination changes, as well as refunds, at no cost, subject to certain policies and conditions.

Rescuers search for victims in Caracas yesterday.  Juan Barreto / AFP via Getty Images

The devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela yesterday were most likely caused by a rupture in one of the country’s most active seismic zones — comprising the Boconó and San Sebastián faults, which extend along Venezuela’s northern coast — according to the USGS.

The system, which also includes the El Pilar fault, is between the Caribbean and South American tectonic plates.

Read the full story on Noticias Telemundo.

"It's been really hard," Ana Vanessa Herrero says as she explains how she's been looking at hospital lists and frantically texting a friend who lives in La Guaira, one of the regions most affected by yesterday's earthquakes. Herrero says she joined a WhatsApp group of at least 500 people, all searching for information about their loved ones.

NBC News reporter in Venezuela says people she knows might be missing under rubble

04:17

Venezuelan organizations in South Florida are taking action as they prepare to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela following the earthquakes.

“We are monitoring the situation in Venezuela and collecting money to eventually send medical supplies,” said Dr. Raquel Lucena, vice president of the Venezuelan American Medical Association (VAMA).

Lucena said the organization is also mobilizing Venezuelan doctors in the U.S. to be ready to provide medical assistance to the injured. VAMA has collaborated with U.S. Southern Command in the past aboard the USNS Comfort on medical missions to Central and South America. Lucena said it has not been invited to participate in a mission to Venezuela yet but will be ready if the opportunity arises.

In the past, the organization has received large donations of medical supplies from hospitals in Miami, which it sent to Venezuela. Venezuela's economy continues to struggle, and medicines are in short supply.

Florida is home to more than 40% of the Venezuelans who live in the U.S., according to the Pew Research Center.

Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called today for a "surge of aid" for earthquake-stricken Venezuela and a halt to deportations of Venezuelans in the U.S. The members also urged an extension of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans in the U.S.

In a letter addressed to Rubio and President Donald Trump, the caucus said that "the United States must do its part to help our neighbors." It cited estimates from the USGS of economic losses to the country of $10 billion to $100 billion.

The lawmakers also wrote that "it is clear that removals to a country in the midst of an active disaster is untenable."

In a ruling today, the Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to end protected status for Haitian and Syrian immigrants.

The high court issued similar rulings last year that allowed the administration to revoke the legal protection for Venezuelans. Temporary Protected Status allows people in the U.S. without legal status to remain for a set period in cases of natural disaster or political turmoil in their home countries.

Using predictive modeling, the USGS estimates the death toll from Venezuela's earthquakes could run into the thousands — with a high likelihood that it will exceed 10,000.

So far, Venezuelan officials have confirmed that at least 188 people were killed in the 7.5- and 7.2-magnitude consecutive earthquakes.

The number is expected to rise as rescuers continue combing through the rubble.

The USGS recorded a 4.4-magnitude quake about 3 miles northeast of Guatire, Venezuela, at around 1:45 p.m. ET.

It’s not clear whether it was an aftershock or its own seismic event, since it was reported about 135 miles from the epicenter of the two monumental earthquakes yesterday.

Guatire is about 16 miles outside Caracas. 

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez confirmed on Venezuela’s government TV channel that at least 188 deaths have been connected to the earthquakes.

The death toll is expected to rise as rescuers continue parsing the rubble. Rodríguez said many people are still trapped in damaged buildings and shopping malls since a pair of powerful earthquakes shook Venezuela yesterday.

At least 1,520 injured people are in hospitals; 157 people have been reported missing.

At least 138 aftershocks may have been reported, making rescue efforts difficult.

Rescue specialists from across Venezuela and other countries, such as the U.S., Mexico, Spain and Qatar, are traveling to the disaster zone. The United Nations is also on its way with help, Rodríguez said.

He added that acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez has created a $200 million reconstruction fund for hospitals, houses and other collapsed infrastructure.

So far, damage has been reported in 250 buildings across La Guaira, Caraballeda and Playa Larga.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez called for unity and encouraged people to set aside their differences of opinion.

"Our primary mission at this moment is to stand united, to set aside any form of diatribe, stance or opinion that divides us, and to become a single force, a single voice, a single person and a sea of ​​helping hands to support and care for those who have directly suffered the ravages of this tragedy," he said on Venezuela's state-run TV channel.

The earthquakes struck Venezuela when it has been grappling with political turmoil following the capture of its leader, Nicolás Maduro, at the beginning of the year by U.S. forces.

Rodríguez said that now "is the time to save lives, to rescue people and to attend to those trapped beneath the rubble of all the damaged buildings."

The international disaster response group Global Empowerment Mission said it mobilized recon and emergency response teams immediately after the quakes. Their teams should be on the ground by tomorrow.

The group is working with a longtime partner, I Love Venezuela, and will be assessing needs, working with partner groups and launching response operations, it said in a social media post. The group was founded in response to the deadly 2010 Haiti earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands.

Other groups also are deploying to provide help. Project Hope, focused on health, said in a statement that it deployed four teams, is organizing medical assistance and has medical personnel and a K-9 search and rescue team on standby.

Also responding is World Central Kitchen, founded by chef José Andres, to help feed residents and first responders, the organization said in a social media post.

In La Guaira, one of the cities most affected by the earthquakes yesterday, José Rolón was celebrating his birthday at a pool in his brother's apartment building when disaster struck.

"I felt the floor start to shake violently. The water in the pool began to churn wildly, like a heavy swell," Rolón told Noticias Telemundo in Spanish. As everyone inside the pool began to get out, they saw the building next to them collapse.

As their own building wobbled, they rushed outside, got in their cars and began searching for a high-altitude place in case there was a tsunami. Billowing clouds of dust covered the streets as buildings continued to collapse around him.

"It was a moment of shock," Rolón said, adding that he spent the night sleeping inside his car with his 4-year-old and 2-year-old children.

Standing in front of a building that just looks like a pile of rubble, rescuers have to undertake a titanic effort to look for any survivors beneath.

The problem is that first responders don't have the tools and other equipment to dig through the piles of debris, and they've turned to volunteers to help pull the remnants of buildings and other structures to find people who may be trapped and waiting to be rescued.

Pedro Mattey / AP

Neighbors carry a man rescued today from the rubble of a collapsed building in La Guaira, Venezuela.

Maria Auxiliadora Vegas, 67, stood outside a collapsed building in Caracas' Altamira neighborhood today looking for answers on the whereabouts of her ex-husband, the father of two of her adult sons.

Her family has not yet heard from him or his wife since two powerful earthquakes rattled Venezuela last night. They even visited a nearby clinic to see if he was taken there.

"But nothing — he is still missing," Vegas said in Spanish. "We are waiting to see what happens. We hope to God for a good outcome and that he turns up alive alongside his wife."

Rachell Sandoval was in her bedroom watching TV when she felt her bed "shaking violently."

"That’s when I get up and realize an earthquake was happening," Sandoval told Noticias Telemundo.

She immediately dashed out of her room, looking for her 7-year-old son.

"I grabbed and hugged him — but at that moment, it was so intense that all I could think was, 'What do I do? Do I go downstairs? Do I stay?' I completely froze."

Sandoval and her child stood under a doorframe until it stopped shaking. "It felt eternal," she said. "I hear the windows rattling and people screaming."

She felt that her apartment building was going to collapse on top of them. When it stopped, Sandoval grabbed her keys and left her apartment. Everyone inside the building ran down the emergency stairs.

After that, Sandoval headed to the Hotel Altamira Suites in Caracas to find her friend.

"She was on the 18th floor. She managed to get down, and I went to that area to look for her. As I was entering Altamira, I filmed the building where the wall had completely collapsed," Sandoval said. "That was when I realized the magnitude of the earthquake."

She spent the night in her car with her son because the boy "is scared of going back into the apartment," Sandoval said, adding that they barely were able to sleep through the night because of the recurrent aftershocks.

"This was a disaster; this was huge," she said.

Nelson Ospedales felt the earthquakes from his home in Caracas' Altamira neighborhood.

His house partially collapsed and he's now staying with a relative, he told Noticias Telemundo Ahora in Spanish.

"Material possessions can be recovered, but at this moment, the competent authorities — such as firefighters and civil defense — have been completely overwhelmed. They need more personnel," Ospedales said. "Hospitals have become severely congested."

Nelson Ospedales talks with Noticias Telemundo.  Noticias Telemundo

Two back-to-back powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela yesterday, when many residents like Ospedales were at home commemorating a national public holiday.

The Venezuelan Red Cross said in a statement that "the full human impact is not yet known" from the double earthquakes that rocked the country.

Assessments of the damage are preliminary, the statement said, as aftershocks continue to pose risks to those who live in the country and to the teams descending to help clean up the rubble.

As agencies continue to assess the damage, the immediate needs include search and rescue, emergency shelter for families whose homes have been damaged or destroyed, and emergency healthcare, including trauma care and psychosocial support, the Red Cross said.

In the coming hours and days, safe water and sanitation and essential household items are expected to become priorities.

Rescue workers carry a person on a stretcher out of a collapsed building yesterday. Juan Barreto / AFP via Getty Images

Ursula von ⁠der Leyen, the European Commission president, expressed her solidarity with Venezuelans affected by the earthquake in a post on X.

"We express our solidarity with all Venezuelans following last night’s devastating earthquakes," she wrote, adding, "I am thinking especially of the victims and their families. We are with you."

Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez said in a post on X that healthcare workers from Cuba are "fully mobilized and providing medical services to the affected population."

"I extend my deepest condolences and solidarity to the government and the brotherly people of the Bolivarian Republic of #Venezuela for the loss of lives and damage caused by the earthquake," Rodriguez said.

When the ground started to shake in Caracas last night, it was hard to imagine the extent of the devastation caused by two consecutive earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude.

This morning, the "absolute devastation" the quakes left behind became evident.

Venezuelans are starting to mourn some of the 164 people who have been killed in the disaster as rescue efforts ramp up to find survivors trapped in the rubble.

Venezuelan journalist recounts the moment twin quakes hit

02:06

Images from La Guaira, north of Caracas, show civilians receiving treatment in a field hospital last night, in the aftermath of the twin earthquakes.

Maxwell Briceño / Reuters

Maxwell Briceño / Reuters

A video aired on Venezuelan state TV showed what it described as a miraculous rescue of three children from under rubble in La Guaira, after two earthquakes hit the region and leveled several buildings.

In the footage, three children appear to be emerging from the rubble one after another, seemingly without major injuries, as rescuers provided assistance.

Internet outages across Venezuela have been reported by NetBlocks, an independent internet and cybersecurity watchdog, as the United Nations calls on authorities to restore people’s access to social media. 

Nine hours after earthquakes struck Venezuela, “national internet connectivity remains diminished despite some recovery,” NetBlocks said in a post on X. 

“The outage corresponds to power cuts and infrastructure damage, hindering rescue efforts and limiting visibility into events on the ground,” it added. 

Separately, the U.N. Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela said it was vital that CONATEL, the country’s telecommunications regulator, “fully unblock access to social media and all media outlets.”

“In the coming hours and days, access to information will be a matter of life and death,” the organization said in a statement on its website.

Venezuela's building stock could be a significant factor in the scale of damage and casualties caused by the earthquakes.

The United States Geological Survey said that although more resistant buildings exist, the population in the affected region largely lives in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking.

“The predominant vulnerable building types are unreinforced brick masonry and adobe block construction,” the agency said in an estimated assessment of losses published on its website.

Rescue workers evacuate an injured person in Caracas yesterday. Manaure Quintero / AFP via Getty Images

The U.S. is planning to send "critical assistance" to Venezuela after the earthquake, Jeremy Lewin, the State Department’s senior official in charge, said on X.

He said that a disaster assistance team and task force has already been mobilized.

"The U.S. will be sending search and rescue teams, medical and humanitarian supplies and other resources in the crucial first days after this tragic natural disaster," Lewin said.

American Airlines, which operates two daily flights between Miami and Caracas, said the flights are canceled for today in light of the earthquake.

A statement from the airline said it decided to cancel the routes because Simón Bolivar International Airport in Caracas, Venezuela, is closed after sustaining damage in the earthquake.

"We will continue to monitor the situation and coordinate closely with local authorities as they assess the damage to the airport," American said in the statement.

Venezuelan President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency last night, announcing the closure of Caracas’ international airport and disruptions to public services in affected areas. 

“Maiquetía Airport is currently closed due to severe damage to its infrastructure,” Rodríguez said in a video address on Venezuelan state television, adding that the suspension of metro and rail services is required to “support rescue operations and infrastructure repairs.”

“There will be no classes for the remainder of this week,” Rodríguez said, as schools remain shut across affected areas. 

01:35

Survivors described the shock and destruction following two massive earthquakes that struck Venezuela only minutes apart. One woman said the scene was “like a horror movie,” while another said she wondered how she was going to get out of her apartment.

Marco Rubio, speaking to reporters this morning, said he has "had an opportunity to talk earlier this morning with Delcy Rodríguez," and that the U.S. is "already deploying search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles."

Rubio said other search and rescue teams will be deployed but didn't give further details. He added that that is what Venezuela needs most right now.

The airport in Venezuela is also "badly damaged," Rubio said, noting that the U.S. will deploy assets there, as well. He said the runway has been cracked.

Rubio told reporters that the U.S. will assist Venezuela with aerial viewing of the damage so the country has a better understanding of the full scale.

“We will have a whole of government response,” Rubio said today. “It will be big. It will be fast. It will be effective.”

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez expressed her condolences to Venezuelans who lost family members and noted that 20 aftershocks had been recorded. She told the nation that international support was on its way.

“What I ask is that we act in national unity, with calm, and that we know that together we will overcome this tragedy,” she said.

The twin quakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.

People stand in the rubble near a damaged building in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, early this morning. Federico Parro / AFP via Getty Images

Read the full story here.

Jose Andres, the founder of World Central Kitchen — an international food aid group — said his organization will immediately donate $1 million " to help Venezuela earthquake mayhem."

The donation will support World Central Kitchen, he said, which is already mobilizing. "Let’s hope is not as bad as it looks…." Andres wrote on X.

The first 7.2-magnitude quake hit Venezuela yesterday around 6 p.m. ET, as the country was observing a national holiday.

The holiday marked the 205th anniversary of the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, which brought Venezuela a decisive victory over Spanish royalist forces. The battle is widely seen as securing Venezuela's independence and marking a turning point in South America's broader independence movement.

The timing meant many Venezuelans were off work and at home when the earthquakes struck.

Video posted to social media shows the moment a building collapsed in El Junquito, Venezuela, as two massive consecutive earthquakes struck.

The U.S. Embassy in Caracas said it is closely monitoring the aftermath of the earthquakes in Venezuela and urged American citizens in the country to follow updates through the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). 

In a statement posted on X, the embassy advised Americans to avoid damaged areas and buildings, “monitor local media for updates, and seek secure shelter.” STEP is an official U.S. government service that allows U.S. citizens abroad to receive security updates and be contacted by the State Department in an emergency.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has confirmed that at least 164 people were killed and more than 100 aftershocks were felt after the twin quakes that hit Venezuela.

Rodriguez said the United Nations was sending specialized personnel to support rescue efforts, according to state news agency TeleSur TV on Telegram. A fund of $200 million will be created for the reconstruction of vital infrastructure and housing, she added.

The scale of the damage to Venezuela's buildings can be seen in a video filmed along a major coastal road in Caraballeda, in the La Guaira state north of Caracas.

Google Street View; Obtained by NBC News

For more than a minute, the person filming the video drives down a section of the road less than half a mile long, highlighting numerous collapsed apartment buildings and structures.

Using Google Maps, NBC News estimates that the video shows that at least eight apartment blocks have been levelled, along with shops and other stores along the roadside.

Google Street View; Obtained by NBC News

Google Street View; Obtained by NBC News

Videos have flooded social media platforms in the hours since the earthquakes hit Venezuela, with people both inside and outside the country using them to gauge the extent of the destruction, and check if the homes of uncontactable family members are safe.

World leaders are expressing their condolences today and pledging support through aid, search and rescue assistance and military equipment. Here's a round-up:

• Germany said it's ready to deploy up to six military aircraft to help with relief efforts in Venezuela, Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said.
• El Salvador President Nayib Bukele said 300 rescuers and paramedics, along with 50 tons of equipment, medicines and essential supplies, were ready to depart for Caracas.
• The European Union said it had activated Copernicus, its main satellite and "we stand ready to step up assistance," wrote Hadja Lahbib, the European Commissioner for Crisis Management on X.

Residents console a man after successive earthquakes, in Caracas, Venezuela yesterday. Ariana Cubillos / AP

• China, one of the largest purchasers of Venezuela's oil, said it would help Venezuela as best as it could. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a daily news briefing there had been no reports of Chinese casualties, so far.
• The leaders of France and Spain each expressed their sympathies on X. "Our thoughts are with the victims and their families," said Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez. France's Emmanuel Macron sent his country's "thoughts and support" to the Venezuelan people.
• Brazilian President Luiz Inacio da Silva Lula expressed "great concern and dismay," over the impacts caused by the earthquake. His government was working to assess the situation in the country and "the measures of assistance that Brazil can adopt."

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States is sending emergency assistance to Venezuela following the devastating earthquakes.

The State Department will immediately deploy “search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance to Venezuela," Rubio said in a post on X.

“Our hearts are with all those who have lost loved ones, those injured, and the courageous rescue workers working tirelessly in the aftermath,” he added.

A rural area of Northern California experienced its strongest earthquake since 1940 yesterday, but it caused only mild shaking with no immediate reports of damage or injuries.

The epicenter of the quake, with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6, was about 7 miles northwest of the agricultural town of Willits, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

In Japan, a powerful 7.2-magnitude earthquake struck off its northeast coast early today, but the country’s meteorological agency said there was no danger of a tsunami. The quake, which struck during morning rush hour, also mildly shook Tokyo. There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage, government officials said.

Images of the Venezuelan capital taken late yesterday show panic and destruction from the impact of twin earthquakes.

Federico Parra / AFP via Getty Images

Juan Barreto / AFP via Getty Images

Juan Barreto / AFP via Getty Images

Javier Campos / AP

Javier Campos / AP

The U.S. Geological Survey said it estimates a 44% chance that the death toll from the Venezuela earthquakes could exceed 10,000 people, and a 30% chance it could surpass 100,000. The figures are based on a predictive model.

The agency, which is part of the Interior Department, issued a “red alert” for shaking-related fatalities and economic losses on its website.

“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” the agency said.

Emergency workers rescued victims from the rubble of collapsed buildings after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.

00:42

Rodríguez said Trump and the U.S. government had been in “constant contact” with Venezuelan authorities and had provided support and solidarity to Venezuelan people. 

“Venezuela will never forget the hand extended to our people in these hard hours,” she said in a post on Facebook.

Her comments came after Trump pledged support and assistance to Venezuela in a post on Truth Social overnight.

President Donald Trump pledged support to Venezuela in a post on Truth Social overnight.

He said the two quakes were "both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths."

"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!!!"

At least 32 people were killed and more than 700 were injured, acting President Delcy Rodríguez said in an address on state television.

Those figures do not include possible casualties in the state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, which Rodríguez described as a “true tragedy” and a “disaster zone.”

Twin earthquakes hit Venezuela around 6 p.m. ET yesterday.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the epicenter of the first, a 7.2-magnitude quake, was near the town of San Felipe, about 100 miles west of the capital, Caracas.

It was followed 39 seconds later by a second, larger earthquake, which had a magnitude of 7.5 and was close to the town of Yumare, the agency said.