SAN FELIPE, Venezuela, June 25 (World Daily Times) — The U.S. Geological Survey said two major earthquakes hit Venezuela 39 seconds apart Wednesday evening, one near San Felipe and the other near Yumare, and its rapid-impact model issued red alerts for severe losses.
The agency’s PAGER system projected high casualties and extensive damage after the quakes, which it placed at magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5. Reports from Caracas and nearby areas described damaged and collapsed buildings, with rescue crews searching through debris.
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Truth Social that the earthquakes had left “a devastating number of deaths” and that the United States was ready to help. He said he had instructed all U.S. government agencies to prepare to move quickly.
Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said U.S. officials were in contact with Venezuelan authorities and were mobilizing assistance. The State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs said it was closely monitoring the aftermath and extending condolences.
Jeremy Lewin, a senior State Department official, said a disaster assistance team and task force had been established to coordinate aid, including search-and-rescue operations, medical supplies and humanitarian assistance.
Venezuelan official Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency after the earthquakes and later said at least 32 people had died and more than 700 had been injured. A single verified final casualty count was not available in the sources reviewed, and the figures cited varied.
Rodríguez said dozens of buildings had collapsed as rescue teams worked across Caracas and other affected areas, including coastal and northern states. The quakes were also reported to have disrupted transport and damaged infrastructure beyond the capital.
