A day after twin measuring 7.2 in magnitude, struck west of Moron on the Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometres west of Caracas, at a depth of 22 kilometres. The second, measuring 7.5, hit just a minute later, 16 kilometres southwest of Moron, at a shallower depth of just 10 kilometres.

The rapid sequence and shallow depth combined to amplify the impact significantly, according to Brazilian geophysicist Marcos Ferreira. “It is as if I am screaming and then someone starts screaming too,” he told AP. “That amplifies the vibration and adds to the potential hazard.” The earthquakes are among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century and were felt as far away as Brazil’s Amazon region.

Who is sending help?

Beyond the US and Mexico, leaders from Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Qatar and Canada have pledged aid, with some shipments already en route. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who spoke directly to acting President Rodríguez after the quakes, said the American response would be immediate and large-scale. “We have a whole-of-government response. It’ll be big; it’ll be fast; and it’ll be effective,” he told reporters.

The US Treasury also announced it would temporarily waive some sanctions on Venezuela until 23 October, to allow relief transactions that would otherwise be prohibited. Spain’s foreign ministry said at least 80 of its nationals in Venezuela were unaccounted for.

Acting President Rodríguez said the government was setting up a $200 million reconstruction fund for damaged hospitals and homes, and had asked the United Nations to lift social media restrictions so that people could share information about missing relatives. Shortly after the UN appeal, Venezuelans were able to access X the platform had been blocked since August 2024 under former president Nicolás Maduro.