Venezuela earthquakes live: Death toll rises to around 235, health minister says 4,300 injured

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⁠Venezuela's ​oil production level ​was not affected by two Wednesday ​quakes, ‌and ⁠currently stands at ‌1.2 million barrels per ⁠day, oil minister Paula ​Henao said in ‌a radio interview, ‌adding that ​domestic distribution of gas and fuel are guaranteed ​as authorities assess ​stocks levels.

"We ​are in normal ​operational conditions, all wells active and producing," she ⁠said.

There is "little chance of finding people alive" in a collapsed building complex in the city worst-hit by twin earthquakes in Venezuela, Chile's rescue team leader told AFP.

"Unfortunately, the collapse is total," Nadiomar Polanco said in front of some five severely damaged buildings in La Guaira, a city north of Caracas.

The Chilean team, the first rescuers to arrive at the site, was focusing on "recovering people who are already deceased," Polanco added.

Thousands of Venezuelans left suddenly homeless have since poured into parks, plazas and even the shoulders of blocked highways, looking for a place to lay their heads.

The latest crisis in this nation of roughly 30 million comes after decades of economic struggle. More than half of the population lives in extreme poverty and nearly 8 million were already in need of humanitarian aid before the quakes struck.

⁠The ⁠death ​toll ​from major ​earthquakes ‌in Venezuela ⁠⁠had risen ​to ‌920, said ‌Jorge ​Rodriguez, head of Venezuela's ​national ​assembly.

With communication patchy, social media and online registries have become a crucial tool for many Venezuelans seeking information and resources beyond sparse government statistics. Independent online registries documenting up to 40,000 people missing far surpass the official government account.

While some rushed to search beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings, others created digital flyers on WhatsApp, Facebook and X with their relatives’ details.

The US government has lifted a number of economic sanctions against Venezuela for four months to facilitate relief operations following a pair of deadly earthquakes that jolted the country.

"All transactions related to earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela ... are authorised" until October 23, according to a license issued Thursday evening by the US Treasury.

More than 50,000 people are missing after powerful twin earthquakes rocked Venezuela, the UN aid chief told AFP, warning that the death toll was likely to "rise significantly".

"It's a very, very complex emergency response," said UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher, adding: "We've got over 50,000 people missing, over 500 people dead, so a massive job to go through the rubble".

Rescue personnel of Spain’s Emergency Military Unit, (UME) arrive to Venezuela to provide assistance in rescue efforts after earthquakes hit the country, in Venezuela, June 26, 2026. © Spanish Emergency Military Unit (UME)/Handout via Reuters

Rescuers to be deployed in support of those affected by the earthquakes in Venezuela, prepare to board an aircraft at Sao Paulo's Air Force Base, in Sao Paulo, Brazil June 26, 2026. © Alexandre Meneghini, Reuters

An outage ​in a key power transmission line ​in ‌Venezuela's ⁠central region ‌is slowing down ⁠efforts to have full ​service restored ‌at the key port of Puerto ‌Cabello, the ​El Palito refinery and the Moron petrochemical ​complex after ​quakes, sources ​said.

Members of the USAR Ecuador (Urban Search and Rescue) arriving to aid in search-and-rescue operations in the aftermath of earthquakes at Simon Bolivar International Airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela, June 26, 2026. © Leonardo Fernandez Viloria, Reuters

UN and other humanitarian agencies issued a joint call for "solidarity" after deadly twin quakes rocked Venezuela, insisting that "the international community must not allow this emergency to deepen into a larger human tragedy".

"The people of Venezuela need solidarity now," the heads of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) – a forum of United Nations and non-UN humanitarian organisations – said in a statement, urging "rapid and unimpeded humanitarian access" to those affected.

The devastating earthquake in Venezuela has exposed not only the immense human cost of a natural disaster, but also the complex interplay between humanitarian response, state capacity, and international solidarity.

FRANCE 24's William Hilderbrandt welcomes Paolo Cravero, Senior Officer for Communications and Media Relations at the IFRC.

The ​death ​toll from two back-to-back earthquakes in ​Venezuela ‌has ⁠risen ‌to around 589 with close ⁠to 3,000 people ​injured, interim ‌president Delcy Rodriguez told a televised meeting with military and civilian officials.

She ​also said that the government has ​decided ​to militarize the ​state of ​La Guaira after the earthquakes.

Nine Portuguese and three Spanish nationals have died in the two major earthquakes in Venezuela that have killed at least 235 people, according to Portuguese and Spanish authorities.

Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said 99 Spanish citizens were unaccounted for and another four trapped under the rubble.

The Spanish community in Venezuela numbers 147,000 people, according to Spanish government figures which do not specify how many are dual nationals, a common circumstance.

Portugal's foreign ministry said 56 of its citizens were missing or otherwise unaccounted for.

India has sent medical teams and 35 tons of emergency supplies, as well as a military field hospital, to quake-hit Venezuela, according to Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar.

"Two Indian Air Force C-17s took-off today for Venezuela with urgent assistance to support their post-earthquake relief efforts," Jaishankar said in a statement.

"The assistance contains an Indian army field hospital and over 35 tons of relief supplies, medicines and medical equipment," he said.

The Indian army said a team of 41 included nine medical officers.

China's President Xi Jinping said Beijing was ready to provide Venezuela with disaster relief and "reconstruction" assistance after it was hit by two major earthquakes, state media reported.

Xi sent "a message of condolences" to Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez, Xinhua news agency said, after reporting the day before that two Chinese nationals were confirmed among the victims of the earthquakes that killed at least 235 people.

Rescuers used heavy machinery and their bare hands on Friday in a race to save survivors of deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela that killed at least 235 people, hurt thousands and flattened scores of buildings.

International rescuers and aid have begun arriving to help a nation struggling to respond two days after its strongest quake in well over a century struck west of Caracas.

Emergency relief personnel from Mexico have arrived in our country, bringing supplies to support the search for survivors and provide assistance to families affected by the earthquakes."

A senior American military official has arrived in Venezuela's capital Caracas to oversee relief efforts in the aftermath of powerful twin earthquakes that killed at least 235 people, the US military has said.

"U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard arrived in Caracas, Venezuela, today, to oversee Department of War support to Venezuela earthquake relief efforts," the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) wrote on X, adding that Jarrard is serving as the senior SOUTHCOM official on the ground.