The death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela has risen to at least 589, with more than 4,300 people injured as rescue workers continue searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The back-to-back earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck on Wednesday night about 120 miles west of the capital, Caracas, causing widespread destruction across the affected region.
According to estimates by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the final death toll could climb significantly, with projections suggesting fatalities could reach as high as 100,000 depending on the extent of the devastation.
As rescue operations continue, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has activated a government-wide humanitarian response, announcing $150 million in emergency assistance and deploying U.S. Navy warships to support life-saving search and rescue missions.
Several countries across the Americas, including Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Colombia, El Salvador and Cuba, alongside the United Nations, have also dispatched search-and-rescue teams, medical personnel and humanitarian aid to support relief efforts.
Addressing the unfolding humanitarian crisis, United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher assured affected communities of continued international support.
“To the Venezuelan people, to those whose loved ones are under the rubble, know that we are determined that help gets to you,” Fletcher said.
Venezuela’s Health Minister, Carlos Alvarado, said hospitals across the affected areas are overwhelmed with casualties as emergency workers continue efforts to locate hundreds of people still believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
Authorities have warned that the casualty figures are expected to rise as search operations continue in the hardest-hit communities.