President Donald Trump said late Wednesday that a pair of powerful earthquakes in Venezuela had resulted in what he called “a devastating number of deaths,” as authorities worked to determine the full scale of the catastrophe.
Venezuela’s acting President Delcy Rodríguez later reported that at least 164 people had died and more than 971 others were injured in the quakes.
Trump’s remarks followed two consecutive earthquakes that shook Venezuela earlier Wednesday, leaving broad destruction in their wake. Damage was reported in Caracas, where buildings were hit and rescue teams combed through debris in search of survivors.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump described the twin earthquakes as “massive” and said they had brought extensive devastation.
Emergency crews respond to a damaged building in Los Palos Grandes, Caracas, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck Venezuela and the Caribbean on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
“The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths,” Trump wrote.
Trump added that the United States was ready to support relief and recovery efforts as the response continued.
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help!” Trump said. “I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends.”
Trump added that early reports from Venezuela were “not good.”
Rescue workers search through the rubble after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, Wednesday, June 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Javier Campos)
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, an initial magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck at 6:04 p.m. ET, with its epicenter about 15 miles east-northeast of San Felipe.
Just 39 seconds later, a magnitude 7.5 quake struck with its epicenter about 14 miles southeast of Yumare.
“High casualties and extensive damage are probable, and the disaster is likely widespread,” the USGS said in a rare red alert statement.
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Rescuers search for victims in a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. (Manaure Quintero / AFP via Getty Images)
Officials said the earthquakes were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century.
Rodríguez declared a state of emergency Wednesday after the earthquakes, which were followed by nearly two dozen aftershocks.
In a televised address later that day, Rodríguez urged Venezuelans to remain calm.
“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.”
On Thursday, Rodríguez announced that at least 164 people had been killed and 971 others injured in the earthquakes.
“We urge our population to remain calm,” Rodríguez said. “We urge unity.”
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau wrote on X that American officials were in contact with Venezuelan authorities and working to deliver assistance to the South American nation.
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An ambulance drives through the street at Parque Central urban development complex in Caracas, Venezuela, after a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck the region on June 24, 2026. (Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
“The U.S. stands with the Venezuelan people in the aftermath of this evening’s devastating earthquakes,” he wrote. “We’re in touch with the authorities and mobilizing assistance.”
The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said it was tracking developments following the powerful earthquakes.
“The U.S. Government is closely monitoring the aftermath of a large earthquake in Venezuela,” the bureau said in a statement.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also detailed to reporters Thursday multiple specific ways the U.S. is providing support.
Emergency services work at the site of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Caracas, Venezuela, June 24, 2026. (REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)
“We extend our deepest condolences to the victims and are committed to supporting the people of Venezuela during this difficult time,” the statement continued.
“We’re already deploying a search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia and Los Angeles. There will be some others we’ll add. That’s their most immediate need right now, is search and rescue efforts. They have much of collapsed buildings. And so they’ll need a lot of help in terms of digging through that. The airport there is badly damaged, so we’ll have to rely on the Department of War to deploy assets there. And then we’re also helping them with some overhead imagery, especially in coastal areas where they don’t have full visibility over what the damage has been and what the impact has been,” he said while speaking to reporters in Bahrain.
Rubio also revealed that a number of other countries have reached out to the U.S. to offer support to Venezuela, including Qatar, El Salvador, Chile and others.
“We’ll also have to manage what we expect is gonna be a surge in private donations. I can imagine that there’s going to be a lot of people from the United States and entities in the United States, we’ve already been in touch with some of the leading charities, but I know at the local level, particularly in places like where I call home in south Florida there’ll be a lot of people that are gonna want to step forward and help and provide assistance and we just need to find the way that we can step in and provide logistical support from that,” Rubio also said.
Rubio further revealed the the Department of War will play a major role in delivering aid because of the Department’s ability to land aircraft in unconventional places considering the earthquake significantly damaged the airport in Venezuela’s capital Caracas.
The bureau also urged U.S. citizens in Venezuela to enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) and monitor embassy updates.
