U.S. Continues Support for Venezuela Earthquake Relief Operations
Venezuelan authorities and international monitoring organizations reported widespread damage, particularly in La Guaira and Caracas areas.
VENEZUELA — On June 24, two strike-slip earthquakes struck northwestern and central Venezuela. The first measured magnitude 7.2 and occurred at 10:04 p.m. UTC (6:04 p.m. VET). The second, magnitude 7.5, followed 39 seconds later with its epicenter in Veroes municipality, Yaracuy state.
U.S. Southern Command Backs Venezuela Earthquake Relief, State Deploys Rescue Teams
VENEZUELA — U.S. Southern Command, directed by the Department of War, stated on June 25 that it is working with the Department of State to support U.S. government relief operations in Venezuela following the June 24 earthquakes.
Venezuelan authorities and international monitoring organizations reported widespread damage, particularly in La Guaira and Caracas areas.
U.S. Southern Command, at the direction of its commander, surged assigned forces to support U.S. Department of State-led disaster assistance after the Venezuelan government requested aid.
Operations continue with arrivals of personnel, heavy equipment, aircraft, and naval vessels.
Earthquake, and Reported Impact
Multiple international catalogs placed the epicenters near 10°26′06″N 68°28′19″W. Over 130 aftershocks followed, including events up to magnitude 4.8.
Casualty and Damage Figures Attributed to Venezuelan Authorities
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez stated that at least 1,719 people have been killed as a result of the earthquakes.
Health Minister Carlos Alvarado reported more than 5,034 injured, with figures drawn from hospital records, although a missing persons tracking website recorded over 43,251 unaccounted for as of June 30.
United Nations officials referenced figures exceeding 50,000 missing in some updates. More than 15,800 people were displaced.
Damage estimates from the United Nations Development Program ranged from $4.7 billion to $8.7 billion, excluding longer-term infrastructure and economic effects. Nearly 800 buildings collapsed in affected zones, with over 2,500 structures damaged overall.
La Guaira has been declared a disaster zone, with the Simón Bolívar International Airport sustaining damage that initially disrupted operations.
Official updates attributed increases in the death toll to continued search and recovery operations and additional hospital records.
A July 1 media report claimed the death toll had risen to 1,943, but no official confirmation from Venezuelan government statements or other primary sources was located in searches conducted as of July 1.
