Rescuers Race to Venezuela with Earthquake Relief, Japan, California Also Hit with Quakes
Venezuela seems to have taken the spotlight in regard to multiple earthquakes that struck multiple countries last week. Venezuela was hit by two earthquakes on Wednesday. One was a 7.2, and the other was a 7.5 aftershock less than one minute later, according to The Jerusalem Post.
America Reaching out to Venezuela
“The two major earthquakes that just hit the great people of Venezuela are both massive in scale and have left a devastating number of deaths,” President Trump wrote on his Truth Social, picked up by The Hill. “The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help!”
Interim President Delcy Rodriguez thanked him and leaders of other countries, including Israel, who reached out to her and offered to help.
During a state television appearance picked up by The Jerusalem Post, Rodriguez said, “Dozens of buildings have collapsed, and we are currently carrying out very intense rescue efforts to save as many lives as God allows us to save. I also want to say that this is a true tragedy. From here, we send our message of solidarity, and to those families who have lost loved ones, we reaffirm our condolences and our support in these difficult hours.”
Earthquake in Japan
About 30 minutes after the quakes in Venezuela, there was a 6.9 earthquake that took place in Japan, according to WNG. The quake’s epicenter was approximately 27 miles deep off the coast of Iwate Prefecture, and could be felt as far inland as Tokyo. An intensity of six is when people must crawl because the shaking is too violent to try to walk, according to the Japan Times.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told reporters that there was, “no tsunami concern,” and Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said that none of the nuclear power facilities had sustained any damage.
In May, Japan also experienced a 6.3 magnitude quake, and back in April, a 7.7 quake.
Earthquake in California
As for California, an earthquake hit the northern end of the state with a magnitude of 5.6. While there wasn’t any significant damage, there were some power outages and minor injuries. Seismologists stated that quakes of that magnitude are unusual in that region, according to KWTV.
Operation Blessing and Samaritan’s Purse have Rescue Boots on the Ground
Rescue crews are primarily focused on Venezuela, since it has the greatest amount of damage and need. Operation Blessing is in the process of sending teams to help with relief efforts, according to CBN.
Samaritan’s Purse has some disaster response specialists on the ground, and a 767 cargo plane is bringing supplies. An Emergency Field Hospital is included among those supplies, and several more teams of disaster response specialists are on the way. The two quakes that hit are the strongest the country has endured in over a century, according to the Samaritan’s Purse website.
“This is going to be a long-term effort. I think we’re only just beginning to understand the full extent of the destruction in Caracas and La Guaira. Multiple hospitals are damaged or overwhelmed, roads have been split wide open, and hundreds of buildings have collapsed. People are living on the streets—terrified of aftershocks. They need our prayers,” Franklin Graham, president of Samaritan’s Purse, said via the ministry’s website. “It’s heartbreaking to see the suffering and loss. We love the people of this country, and we want to do all that we can to help in Jesus’ name.”
The Salvation Army is in the process of assessing the needs to determine the best way that it can help. Development and Emergency Coordinator Ricardo Gomez said via The Salvation Army website that they receive reports about the situation regularly, and the government has declared a national emergency. Many people were gathered in their homes at the time the quakes struck because that particular day was a national holiday in Venezuela.
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images / Edilzon Gamez / Stringer
Originally published June 29, 2026.
