Venezuela's Heartbreaking Earthquake: The Unseen Miracle Amidst Tragedy

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Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening.

Last Updated: June 29, 2026, 8:37 PM CEST

At least 1,719 people have died and another 5,034 people were injured from a pair of powerful earthquakes that devastated Venezuela, officials said.

The two quakes -- a 7.2 magnitude one followed just seconds later by a 7.5 -- struck the coast of Venezuela on Wednesday evening, knocking down buildings in Caracas, the capital, and sending residents racing into the street.

Responders are still undertaking rescue operations, searching for people thought to be under the rubble.

Key Headlines

Jun 29, 2026, 8:37 PM CEST
Jun 29, 2026, 8:35 PM CEST
Jun 29, 2026, 5:28 PM CEST
Jun 29, 2026, 3:45 PM CEST

Here's how the news is developing.

Jun 29, 2026, 8:37 PM CEST

Death toll rises to 1,719

The death toll in Venezuela has climbed to 1,719, Venezuelan lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said.

Another 5,034 people were injured, he said.

Rescue workers search through the rubble of a building that collapsed when earthquakes struck La Guaira, Venezuela, June 28, 2026.
Matias Delacroix/AP Photo

Jun 29, 2026, 8:35 PM CEST

'We are procuring 10,000 body bags,' UN envoy says

As the death toll rises, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Venezuela Gianluca Rampolla del Tindaro said, "We are procuring … 10,000 body bags."

"At least 2,500 structures are affected, most of which fully collapsed," he said.

A woman reacts at a shelter for the victims of a magnitude 7.2 earthquake that struck Venezuela and other regions in the Caribbean, June 28, 2026 in Carabellada, La Guaira, Venezuela.
Jesus Vargas/Getty Images

A member of Gideon Rescue Company and a rescue dog take part in rescue efforts, after earthquakes hit the country, in Tanaguarena neighborhood, La Guaira, Venezuela, June 28, 2026.
Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/Reuters

Rampolla del Tindaro said the Venezuelan government is still leading search and rescue operations.

"We are beyond the 72-hour critical window, but this is one of the miracles of this country -- rescuers are still being able to pull out alive people," he said. "Yesterday alone, seven persons were moved out of the rubble."

Jun 29, 2026, 5:28 PM CEST

3 Americans dead, 12 missing

Three Americans have died from the earthquakes and 12 Americans remain missing, the U.S. government has confirmed, according to a senior U.S. official.

People embrace, as rescue operations continue after earthquakes hit the country in La Guaira, Venezuela, June 27, 2026.
Maxwell Briceno/Reuters

More than 300 search and rescue personnel from the U.S. are now working on the ground in Venezuela, a senior administration official said.

The U.S. had committed more than $300 million to the earthquake response, including $200 million in funding for partner organizations and the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, according to the State Department.

Jhonquer Cerpas, 13, is rescued by the Mexican brigade, in rescue efforts after earthquakes hit the country, in La Guaira, Venezuela, June 27, 2026.
Maxwell Briceno/Reuters

Jun 29, 2026, 3:45 PM CEST

Man rescued alive after 106 hours

Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodriguez posted a video on social media showing a man rescued from a collapsed building after 106 hours trapped under the rubble.