Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has extended condolences and pledged solidarity with Venezuela after a pair of powerful earthquakes struck the country, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 700 and prompting a national state of emergency as rescue teams continue digging through widespread destruction.
The disaster unfolded late Wednesday when two strong quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, struck in quick succession along Venezuela’s northern Caribbean coast.
The second tremor hit roughly 40 seconds after the first, amplifying structural stress across already weakened buildings and infrastructure.
The shallow depth of the earthquakes intensified the impact, turning routine urban centers into scenes of collapse and chaos, with reports of damaged roads, disrupted communications and widespread power outages.
Venezuelan acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced a national state of emergency as emergency crews were deployed across affected regions, particularly in Yaracuy state and nearby coastal areas.
Early figures placed the death toll at 32, with more than 700 injured, though officials warned those numbers remain fluid as search-and-rescue operations continue in heavily damaged urban zones.
In a message posted on social media platform X, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed sorrow over the loss of life and sent wishes for recovery to those injured. He stressed that Türkiye shares the grief of the Venezuelan people and reaffirmed that Ankara stands ready to support its “friends in difficult days,” framing the response as both humanitarian and diplomatic solidarity.
The epicenter of the quakes was reported in Venezuela’s Yaracuy region, near San Felipe and Moron, areas that sit roughly west of Caracas.
The seismic activity, occurring at shallow depths estimated between 10 and 22 kilometers, is considered unusually destructive for the region, with experts noting that shallow quakes tend to transmit stronger surface shaking and cause greater building failure.
Beyond the immediate casualties, the earthquakes disrupted critical infrastructure across multiple states.
Transportation networks, including sections of airport operations and urban transit systems, were temporarily halted or restricted.
Hospitals in affected areas were overwhelmed by incoming casualties, while emergency responders worked through aftershocks and unstable structures in search of survivors.
Authorities in Caracas and surrounding regions have warned that aftershocks are expected to continue, complicating rescue operations and recovery efforts.
International assistance has begun to mobilize, with several governments signaling readiness to provide humanitarian aid, search-and-rescue teams and emergency supplies as damage assessments expand.
The disaster marks one of the most severe seismic events Venezuela has experienced in decades, a country that lies near active tectonic boundaries but rarely sees earthquakes of this magnitude in rapid succession.
Scientists say the close timing of the two major quakes likely contributed to the scale of structural collapse, as buildings weakened by the first shock were hit again before stabilizing.
The crisis also underscores growing diplomatic engagement between Ankara and Caracas.
Türkiye and Venezuela have expanded ties in recent years across trade, energy and mining sectors, with high-level talks held in Istanbul earlier in June between Erdoğan and Venezuela’s leadership.
Those discussions focused on strengthening economic cooperation, adding context to Ankara’s swift humanitarian response.
Türkiye has increasingly positioned itself as a rapid responder in global disasters, often deploying search-and-rescue teams through its AFAD disaster agency.
The country’s own experience with major earthquakes in recent years has shaped its emphasis on international humanitarian outreach.
