The death toll from catastrophic earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to at least 235, with more than 4,300 injured and thousands still missing. The disaster follows back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes that struck northern Venezuela on Wednesday night.
U.S. military leadership has arrived in Caracas to help coordinate relief. U.S. Marine Corps Major General Kevin J. Jarrard is overseeing the Department of War's support, working with Venezuela's interim government led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
The Trump administration has pledged $150 million in aid and deployed U.S. Navy warships. SOUTHCOM is using aircraft to transport search-and-rescue teams and critical supplies into the hardest-hit areas.
The coastal region of La Guaira, north of Caracas, suffered the heaviest damage. The country's main airport there is closed, complicating aid delivery. Venezuelan authorities are diverting rescue teams from other regions and have appealed for heavy construction equipment.
Images from the region show dramatic rescues, with people pulled from rubble covered in dust and blood. The death toll is expected to climb as search operations continue.