US sends rescue crews to Venezuela after twin earthquakes devastate nation
U.S. search-and-rescue teams, backed by military resources, have been sent to Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes left the country facing a rapidly worsening humanitarian crisis. Early figures put the toll at at least 920 dead, 51,000 missing and more than 3,300 injured, while the United Nations has deployed 1,000 emergency workers to help support rescue and recovery operations.
The U.S. military is assisting relief efforts in Venezuela after the South American nation was struck by the deadly earthquakes last week.
In a Sunday press release, U.S. Southern Command said additional American military capabilities were arriving in the country to support the response requested by Venezuela’s government and coordinated by the U.S. State Department.
“SOUTHCOM operations are completely self-sustaining, with personnel on the ground requiring zero local resources as they work tirelessly to deliver critical relief to the people of Venezuela,” the command said.
Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said Sunday that the death toll from the earthquakes had climbed to 1,450, underscoring the scale of the devastation as rescue crews continue searching through the hardest-hit areas.
A U.S. military V-22 Osprey aircraft lands in Caraballeda, La Guaira state, Venezuela, on June 27, 2026, during rescue operations following the earthquakes. (Federico PARRA / AFP via Getty Images)
“Marines on the ground, saving lives,” SOUTHCOM wrote Sunday in a post on X.
The command said U.S. Marines in Venezuela are working alongside American and international first responders as search-and-rescue teams focus on communities most severely damaged by the earthquakes. The post also included several photos from the relief mission.
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“The @DeptofWar continues to work closely with the @StateDept to support earthquake relief efforts and deliver assistance to the Venezuelan communities of greatest need. At the direction of #SOUTHCOM, U.S. military forces are supporting U.S. disaster assistance to the people of Venezuela in the aftermath of the June 24, 2026, earthquakes,” the post noted.
First responders aid a U.S. Marine climbing through rubble amid a search for survivors following earthquakes in Venezuela. (U.S. Southern Command on X)
“Racing against the clock to save lives in Venezuela: First responders assist a U.S. Marine climbing through rubble during a search for survivors in earthquake-damaged structures,” SOUTHCOM wrote in a different post on X. “Operating day and night, these crews continue to support international search and rescue operations across the hardest-hit communities.”
