Venezuela death toll rises to 164 as back-to-back earthquakes rock country
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio promised that Washington's response to the disaster would be 'big, it’ll be fast, and it’ll be effective'
More than 164 people have been killed in Venezuela after the country was rocked by back-to-back earthquakes, acting President Delcy Rodríguez has said.
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At least 971 people have been injured in the shocking quakes which tore across the country on Wednesday. Government officials are warning that the death toll will rise.
Rodríguez has declared a state of emergency and announced that Caracas airport would be closed, trains would be suspended, and schools would be cancelled for several days.
The earthquakes struck during a national holiday – the 205th anniversary of the 1821 Battle of Carabobo, in which Venezuela triumphed over Spanish royalist forces.
As a result, many Venezuelans were off work and at home when the tremors struck.
Read more: One dead and child in life-threatening condition after train collides with car at level crossing
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government is working with international bodies to assess humanitarian needs.
In a post to X, she wrote: "My thoughts are with those affected by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.
"We are working with partners to assess the needs & help with the global response.
"British nationals should follow local authority advice & check FCDO travel advice pages for latest info."
Britons caught up in the disaster have been told to contact the Foreign Office for support.
My thoughts are with those affected by the devastating earthquakes in Venezuela.
— Yvette Cooper (@YvetteCooperMP) June 25, 2026
We are working with partners to assess the needs & help with the global response.
British nationals should follow local authority advice & check FCDO travel advice pages for latest info.
Rodríguez extended her sympathies to families who had lost loved ones and confirmed that 20 aftershocks had been noted.
“What I ask is that we act in national unity, with calm, and that we know that together we will overcome this tragedy,” she said.
She confirmed that international help was on its way, which has been confirmed by pledges of aid flooding in from around the world.
The US said it was “immediately deploying search and rescue teams, medical resources, and humanitarian assistance.”
According to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the US response would be “big, it’ll be fast, and it’ll be effective”.
Rubio told reporters on Thursday morning that he "had an opportunity to talk earlier this morning with Delcy Rodríguez," and that Washington is "already deploying search and rescue teams from Fairfax County, Virginia, and Los Angeles."
He confirmed that other search and rescue teams will be deployed, which he said is what the country needs most right now, but didn't provide further information.
Rubio said that the airport in Venezuela is "badly damaged”, with its runway cracked, and the US will deploy support there.
He said that the US will assist Venezuela in obtaining an aerial view of the damage so the country has a more comprehensive understanding of the scale of the disaster.