Venezuela earthquakes: Death toll rises to 1,700; La Guaira port now ‘operational’

A U.S. military aircraft is parked on the tarmac as another takes off during earthquake relief operations at the airport in Maiquetia, Venezuela on June 29, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP The ‌death toll ​from ⁠last week’s twin earthquakes ‌in Venezuela ‌has ‌risen ⁠to ⁠more than 1,700 people, ​top ‌lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on ‌Monday (June 29, 2026).More ​than 5,000 ⁠were wounded in ‌the disaster, and more ‌than 15,000 left ​homeless, Mr. Rodriguez added ⁠in an ⁠address on ‌state television.Venezuela’s quake-hit La Guaira port ‘operational’: U.S. militaryVenezuela’s La Guaira port is now “operational” after undergoing repairs and is being used to deliver aid to the earthquake-hit South American country, the U.S. military said on Monday (June 29, 2026).The port — one of Venezuela’s two main ports — “is now operational, and the USS Fort Lauderdale is using the port to deliver critically needed supplies and equipment to Venezuela,” U.S. Southern Command said in a statement, referring to a U.S. warship dispatched to assist with aid efforts.Earlier on Monday (June 29), a senior U.S. administration official told journalists that a “specialized team of Marines” was “working around the clock” to repair the port.The U.S. State Department also announced that Washington has pledged more than $300 million in funding to aid Venezuela, up from a previous commitment of $150 million.“These funds will provide emergency medical care, food assistance, water and sanitation, shelter, protection, and logistics,” the State Department said in a statement.The money is being directed through partner organisations including Samaritan’s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, the International Organization for Migration, the World Food Programme and the Red Cross, the statement said.Washington has also deployed four urban search-and-rescue teams to Venezuela that are made up of more than 300 first responders and almost two dozen search dogs, it added.The U.S. assistance for Venezuela comes as ties between Washington and Caracas have warmed in recent months after American forces captured former president Nicolas Maduro in January and the Trump administration began working with an interim government led by Delcy Rodriguez.With inputs from Reuters, AFP Published - June 30, 2026 03:09 am IST