Venezuela earthquake: Rescuers search for survivors, death toll rises to 188, US authorizes transactions | Best Update | Today’s news

Venezuelans continued to search for survivors under collapsed buildings on Thursday (local time) as rescue teams rushed to northern regions rocked by two strong earthquakes on Wednesday night.

So far, at least 188 people have died and more than 200 are still believed to be trapped in the 7.2-magnitude and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes that hit Venezuela in more than a century and were felt across the region. At least 1,500 people were reportedly injured, while thousands were reported missing as buildings were evacuated as far away as the Brazilian Amazon.

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Twin earthquakes struck west of the capital Caracas, toppling buildings and severely damaging the country’s main international airport. As rescue teams continue to search for survivors trapped under the rubble, two of America’s most successful urban search and rescue teams are being deployed to Venezuela, including those from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles County, CNN reported.

Here are the main updates on the earthquake in Venezuela

1. The Venezuelan government will create an initial $200 million reconstruction fund using resources from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to finance infrastructure repairs, hospitals and housing, Interim President Delcy Rodríguez announced. She said the fund “will enable us to restore infrastructure, hospitals and build houses for those who have lost theirs”. Officials also discussed setting up an additional fund to support victims, as public and private banks activate special credit lines for those who have lost businesses or jobs.

2. In his first on-camera appearance on Thursday, US President Donald Trump reiterated his intention to help Venezuela. In a post on Truth Social, he wrote: “The US is ready, willing and able to help! I have ordered all agencies of our government to prepare to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. The initial news is not good!!! Additionally, the US Treasury Department has also issued a license authorizing transactions related to earthquake relief efforts in Venezuela, which would be prohibited under $5 million in sanctions in Washington, which would be prohibited under 50 million dollars in Washington by Oct. Rubio promised a “whole-of-government response” that would be “big…fast and…effective.”

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3. In addition to Washington, several other countries have offered to help earthquake-stricken Venezuela. While the United Nations said it was sending its certified rescuers to help search for survivors, Spain and France are sending dozens of specialists. Germany has promised to send six military transport planes, while Switzerland has mobilized 80 personnel, eight rescue dogs and 18 tons of equipment to be sent to Venezuela as soon as possible. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Kuo Jiakun, Beijing said it was “willing to provide the assistance it can in an appropriate manner according to the needs of the Venezuelan side.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi also assured of India’s readiness to extend all possible assistance.

4. The coastal region of La Guaira, located north of the capital Caracas, suffered some of the worst damage and casualties, and it was there that the country’s main airport was damaged, complicating relief efforts. Images showed collapsing buildings and extensive damage to the airport, which forced its closure. Acting President Rodríguez said authorities were still unable to provide a full account of victims in the state. At least 105 people were reported dead and more than 1,066 injured in La Guaira around noon Thursday, according to local officials.

5. No immediate reports of widespread damage to the country’s oil facilities. The Paraguana refinery continued to operate normally, and work at the Jose port complex and the Puerto La Cruz refinery remained unaffected, Bloomberg reported. Chevron, Venezuela’s leading private oil producer, said its business remains operational and all its employees are held accountable. Furthermore, most ports continued to operate, although some oil loadings were suspended at the El Palito terminal in Carabobo state.

6. The natural disaster is the latest challenge for Rodríguez, a former vice president who took office in January after Washington captured Nicolas Maduro. The country has faced economic turmoil for more than a decade, and many reject the legitimacy of the political movement that Rodríguez represents.

7. UN officials in Venezuela asked the Rodríguez government to lift restrictions on social media to allow people to receive potentially life-saving information, which allowed Venezuelans in the country to access X. The site has been blocked by Maduro since August 2024. Families have also started sending out missing-person flyers with photos of their loved ones, while others have shared handwritten lists of those names.

In addition, several unofficial websites were quickly created where distraught relatives could post photos of their loved ones. According to CNN, one of the widely used sites is “Desaparecidos Terremoto Venezuela”, which translates to Earthquake Missing in Venezuela.