Reuters. U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday (June 24) said the two earthquakes that hit Venezuela earlier in the day had “left a devastating number of deaths”, without citing official casualty figures.
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends. Early reports are not good,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.
Other U.S. officials also expressed support and outlined initial response steps.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit about 160 km (100 miles) west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 tremor, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). The agency's initial death toll estimate ranged from 10,000 to 100,000.
