CARACAS — International assistance for Venezuela expanded on Thursday as governments, United Nations agencies and humanitarian organizations mobilized in response to devastating earthquakes that struck the South American country a day earlier, killing at least 164 people and injuring hundreds, according to Venezuelan authorities.
Two powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday less than a minute apart, causing widespread damage in and around the capital, Caracas, and the coastal state of La Guaira, officials said. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared a state of emergency and said rescue teams continued searching for people trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The United Nations said it had begun coordinating an international response. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs announced the rapid deployment of urban search-and-rescue teams through international emergency networks, while humanitarian officials assessed urgent needs with Venezuelan authorities.
“We are fully mobilised to support the people of Venezuela,” U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher said in a statement on Thursday. He added that aid agencies were working with the government to identify priorities and coordinate incoming assistance.
Governments in the Americas and Europe offered support, including rescue personnel, medical assistance and emergency supplies, according to official statements and media reports. The European Union activated its Civil Protection Mechanism following a request from Caracas, with several member states preparing or dispatching emergency teams.
The United States also offered assistance. U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was prepared to help Venezuela as rescue and relief operations continued, according to statements reported by multiple news organizations.
Religious and humanitarian organizations joined relief efforts. The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV authorized an initial emergency donation to support victims and recovery operations, while aid groups reported launching emergency response programs for affected communities.
The earthquakes, among the strongest recorded in Venezuela in more than a century, damaged residential buildings, transportation infrastructure and public services. Authorities said damage assessments were continuing, and details from some of the hardest-hit areas remained unclear.
As of Thursday evening, search-and-rescue operations remained underway, international teams were arriving or preparing to deploy, and Venezuelan officials warned that casualty figures could change as emergency crews reached affected communities and examined collapsed structures.
