🔴Death toll from Venezuelan earthquakes rises to at least 589, says interim president Rodriguez

Venezuela earthquakes live: Death toll rises to at least 589 as international aid arrives The death toll from two back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to about 589, with at least 2,980 people injured, Venezuela’s interim leader Delcy Rodriguez said Friday as rescue teams continued searching for survivors and international aid started arriving. Follow our liveblog for the latest updates. - US says sending military ships, planes to provide aid to Venezuela - World sends rescuers, aid as Venezuela reels from quakes - Website shows more than 46,000 people unaccounted for - What we know about the foreign victims of Venezuela's quakes - Venezuelan interim leader Rodriguez says earthquakes death toll rises to 589 with 2,980 injured Venezuelan interim leader Rodriguez says earthquakes death toll rises to 589 with 2,980 injured Nine Portuguese, three Spaniards dead in Venezuela quakes Nine Portuguese and three Spanish nationals have died in the two major earthquakes in Venezuela that have killed at least 235 people, according to Portuguese and Spanish authorities. Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said 99 Spanish citizens were unaccounted for and another four trapped under the rubble. The Spanish community in Venezuela numbers 147,000 people, according to Spanish government figures which do not specify how many are dual nationals, a common circumstance. Portugal's foreign ministry said 56 of its citizens were missing or otherwise unaccounted for. India sends medical team and aid to quake-hit Venezuela India has sent medical teams and 35 tons of emergency supplies, as well as a military field hospital, to quake-hit Venezuela, according to Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. "Two Indian Air Force C-17s took-off today for Venezuela with urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts," Jaishankar said in a statement. "The assistance contains an Indian army field hospital and over 35 tons of relief supplies, medicines and medical equipment," he said. The Indian army said a team of 41 included nine medical officers. Xi says China ready to aid Venezuela in 'reconstruction' after quakes China's President Xi Jinping said Beijing was ready to provide Venezuela with disaster relief and "reconstruction" assistance after it was hit by two major earthquakes, state media reported. Xi sent "a message of condolences" to Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez, Xinhua news agency said, after reporting the day before that two Chinese nationals were confirmed among the victims of the earthquakes that killed at least 235 people. Venezuela hunts for survivors of twin quakes as it waits for foreign aid Rescuers used heavy machinery and their bare hands on Friday in a race to save survivors of deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela that killed at least 235 people, hurt thousands and flattened scores of buildings. International rescuers and aid have begun arriving to help a nation struggling to respond two days after its strongest quake in well over a century struck west of Caracas. "WELCOME, Mexico, to Venezuela!, says Delcy Rodríguez "WELCOME, Mexico, to Venezuela! Emergency relief personnel from Mexico have arrived in our country, bringing supplies to support the search for survivors and provide assistance to families affected by the earthquakes." Senior US military official lands in Venezuela to oversee quake response A senior American military official has arrived in Venezuela's capital Caracas to oversee relief efforts in the aftermath of powerful twin earthquakes that killed at least 235 people, the US military has said. "U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard arrived in Caracas, Venezuela, today, to oversee Department of War support to Venezuela earthquake relief efforts," the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) wrote on X, adding that Jarrard is serving as the senior SOUTHCOM official on the ground. Two Spaniards killed, 80 unaccounted for, Spain's foreign ministry says Two Spanish nationals were killed, 80 remain unaccounted after Venezuela's earthquakes, according to Spain foreign ministry. "We deeply regret the death of two Spaniards, confirmed by their relatives, to whom we extend our condolences," the ministry said in a statement, adding that "the number of Spaniards currently unaccounted for is 80". Venezuela suffers effects of Trump’s aid, foreign policies after deadly quakes President Donald Trump’s closure of US development agency USAID has added hurdles to humanitarian relief efforts Venezuela, says Christopher Sabatini, Latin America programme director at Chatham House. “Right now, the Trump administration has to coordinate a multi-agency effort [in Venezuela] when in fact, an agency that already existed could have done that much more efficiently, much more quickly, and would have had the supplies on hand,” notes Sabatini. Aid distribution is another hurdle, he notes. Venezuela’s opposition has long complained that the Delcy Rodriguez administration, and before that the government under her mentor, Nicolas Maduro, were “very partisan in the distribution of aid packages and benefits from the state and other forms of state patronage as a way of building their support. This could become a very difficult issue between the opposition and the government”, Sabatini explains. Neighbours dig through Venezuela rubble to search for loved ones In cities across northern Venezuela, neighbours are helping each other dig through rubble to search for loved ones following the deadly back-to-back earthquakes. The injured were pulled out covered in dust and blood, among them children and animals. Venezuelan state TV showed dramatic images of rescues, including a woman who was trapped under a cement slab with only a bare foot poking out before rescuers slid her out alive. But few government search teams were initially seen outside Caracas. Families posted missing-person flyers with photos of loved ones while others shared handwritten lists of names as they searched. Venezuelans abroad struggled to make contact with relatives due to interrupted phone service in the country. In downtown Caracas, hundreds spent the night huddled in parks, parking lots and other open spaces. Mother of three Dayana Delgado asked where the heavy machinery was that government officials had promised and said residents were the ones digging through crumpled buildings. “I want to know where my child is, if he’s trapped or in a shelter,” she said of her missing 8-year-old son. A second aircraft has arrived from Salvador, President Bukele says "The second aircraft has already arrived in Venezuela and the third is already on its way, carrying more machinery, equipment and supplies to bolster search, rescue and relief efforts. In total, we will be sending six aircraft as part of this humanitarian mission in support of our Venezuelan brothers and sisters." What we know about the foreign victims of Venezuela's quakes Two Brazilians The foreign ministry of Brazil, which shares a border with Venezuela, said Thursday that two of its citizens – a man and a woman – had died in the disaster. The government was providing their relatives with consular assistance, the ministry said. One Italian-Venezuelan A man in his mid-50s, born in Caracas and holding both Italian and Venezuelan nationality, was killed when a building collapsed in the hardest-hit region of La Guaira, Rome's foreign ministry said Thursday. Italy estimates there are about 170,000 Italian passport-holders in Venezuela. Two Chinese Two Chinese nationals were confirmed among the victims of the earthquakes as of Thursday afternoon, Beijing's state news agency Xinhua reported, citing the embassy in Caracas. The embassy posted a statement on its official WeChat account, urging Chinese citizens in Venezuela to "take precautions against secondary disasters caused by aftershocks and (other) earthquakes." Website shows more than 46,000 people unaccounted for The US Geological Survey's predictive modeling indicated the death toll was likely to rise into the thousands, with a substantial probability of exceeding 10,000. A website created to track missing people and shared by opposition leaders listed more than 46,000 people as unaccounted for shortly after 7pm (2300 GMT). World sends rescuers, aid as Venezuela reels from quakes - United Nations-certified rescuers will help search for quake survivors, interim president Delcy Rodriguez said in a televised message. - Spain and France were sending dozens of specialists, and Germany promised six military transport planes. - Switzerland mobilized 80 personnel, eight rescue dogs and 18 tonnes of equipment to be sent to Venezuela as soon as possible. - Dutch Foreign Trade Minister Sjoerd Sjoerdsma announced a two-million-euro aid package to deploy a search-and-rescue team, while the Czech Republic said its team was preparing to fly in. - The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said it had released $2.5 million to support recovery efforts. - Pope Leo XIV sent "initial" emergency aid of 100,000 euros ($114,000) to Venezuela, the Vatican announced. - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva announced the dispatch of a field hospital to Venezuela, as well as 36 firefighters and several rescue and communications specialists via two flights on Friday and Saturday. - Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said her country was dispatching a military team of rescuers and medical personnel to Venezuela and would send further assistance if necessary. - El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele said he had readied 300 rescuers and paramedics and 50 tons of equipment, medicines and basic supplies. Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes rises to around 235, health minister says Desperate Venezuelans raced Thursday to find and rescue loved ones trapped alive beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings after two major earthquakes that killed at least 235 people. Buildings cracked, crumbled, and tilted precariously after the quakes, which the United States Geological Survey measured at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, hit northern Venezuela within less than a minute of each other on Wednesday night. Powerful aftershocks could still be felt Thursday, and Health Minister Carlos Alvarado reported the death toll had risen from 188 to at least 235. More than 1,500 people were injured as the earth shook and roared in what many Venezuelans called a terrifying display of nature's raw power. Rescue efforts moved slowly, with bodies still visible under debris hours after the quakes, while time ran out for some of those who were trapped and injured. US says sending military ships, planes to provide aid to Venezuela The United States is deploying two warships as well as transport planes and helicopters to provide logistical support for operations to assist earthquake-hit Venezuela, the US military said on Thursday. "These forces will provide specialized mobility services and support to US government personnel, search and rescue teams, and US interagency partners as they assess damage, locate the injured, and deliver critical, life-saving assistance," US Southern Command said in a post on X. (FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)