Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 235

Health Minister Carlos Alvarado confirmed Thursday that the death toll from Wednesday's back-to-back earthquakes along Venezuela's northern coast has climbed to 235, with medical teams treating more than 4,300 injured victims across the crisis-hit region. Speaking on the state-run network Venezolana de Televisión, Alvarado stated that personnel are working around the clock to manage the overflow of trauma patients.

"Within the public health system, we have treated more than 4,300 injured individuals," Alvarado said. "Tragically, this includes 235 patients who either arrived at our health facilities with no vital signs or passed away shortly after admission." The vast majority of casualties and severe injuries are concentrated in the coastal state of La Guaira, which serves as the primary maritime and aerial gateway to Caracas.

Rare 'seismic doublet' flattens infrastructure

The widespread devastation stems from a rare "seismic doublet" — a phenomenon where two high-intensity tectonic events rupture almost simultaneously in the same area. An initial 7.2 magnitude foreshock near San Felipe was followed just 39 seconds later by a 7.5 magnitude mainshock southeast of Yumare on Wednesday afternoon, according to seismological data.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced that specialists have logged at least 138 aftershocks since the twin quakes. Rodriguez noted that the tremors compromised at least 346 infrastructure sites, including 250 apartment buildings and 20 shopping centers, primarily in La Guaira. Structural failures also impacted eight regional hospitals, forcing emergency personnel to rapidly evacuate patients to alternative clinics while authorities construct makeshift field hospitals across the coastal region.

International aid bypasses diplomatic friction

The United States announced the immediate deployment of military assets to assist local authorities with logistics and humanitarian relief operations, while Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva confirmed a Friday departure for a military cargo plane carrying 36 specialized search-and-rescue firefighters, civil defense experts, telecommunications technicians, and a fully equipped field hospital. Colombia activated its armed forces, police, Civil Defense, and risk-management units for immediate cross-border deployment, and Cuba re-tasked its permanent medical mission within Venezuela to provide frontline triage and trauma care.

Ecuador and El Salvador are deploying specialized canine units, doctors, and tactical rescue teams, while Mexico and Chile dispatched highly experienced seismic disaster response teams to aid in urban search-and-rescue. Panama, Peru, Argentina, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and Uruguay have also pledged emergency personnel and financial aid packages to support the recovery efforts.