Acting President of Venezuela Delcy Rodríguez said the two deadly back-to-back earthquakes that struck the nation Wednesday left at least 32 confirmed dead and over 700 injured, according to the reports national authorities.
According to information from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), there is a high probability the final death told could end up in the thousands — an amount significantly higher than the latest official reports from the Venezuelan socialist regime.
Rodríguez delivered the latest official death toll count during an emergency early Thursday morning broadcast as other reports of major earthquakes came in from across the world.
An infographic titled ‘Major earthquakes along the Pacific Ring of Fire over the last 24 hours’ created in Ankara, Turkiye on June 25, 2026. (Photo by Yasin Demirci/Anadolu via Getty Images)
She warned, however, that the death toll could end up being much higher than the current estimates, as it does not include any potential casualties at the state of La Guaira — a region now deemed a “disaster zone” by the nation’s authorities.
“I must report that the state most affected by this unprecedented seismic event is La Guaira. Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently engaged in very arduous rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save,” Rodríguez said.
“I also want to say that this is a true tragedy. From here, we send a message of solidarity to those families who have lost loved ones, and we reaffirm our condolences and our support during these very difficult hours,” she continued. “We can say that the situation in La Guaira is a true tragedy, and the area has become a disaster zone.”
Venezuela declared a state of emergency after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake — followed by a magnitude 7.5 earthquake seconds later — struck the South American nation on Wednesday at around 06:00 p.m. (local time). The earthquakes caused widespread destruction and numerous reports of collapsed buildings in Caracas and in other Venezuelan cities. All education and non-essential public service activities have been suspended in the nation.
While the Venezuelan regime reported a death toll of at least 32 as of early Thursday morning, A preliminary US Geological Survey (USGS) disaster model estimates a high chance of a far greater loss of life ranging anywhere between 10,000 and 100,000.
“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” USGS wrote.
President Donald Trump announced that the United States is ready to offer assistance to Venezuela. Rodríguez, during her emergency address, thanked Trump and his administration for being in “constant contact” with Venezuelan authorities to offer support and solidarity. The acting President said that Venezuela will be receiving U.S. rescue workers within the next hours.
“We will also be receiving rescue workers from the Dominican Republic, as I expressed my gratitude to President Luis Abinader during a phone call, ” Rodríguez said, and detailed that rescue workers from El Salvador, Mexico, and Qatar will be also travelling to Venezuela to assist in search and rescue operations.
Wednesday’s doublet earthquakes in Venezuela have been described as the worst tragedy of its kind since 1967’s magnitude 6.3 earthquake in Caracas, which left over 200 dead.