Over 500 Dead In Venezuela As Rescuers Race To Find Quake Victims

Rescuers scramble to reach survivors before the “golden window” to save people closes, as at least 589 people have died in Venezuela’s twin quakes.

The country is mired in a political and financial crisis. The second quake was the strongest in the country in more than a century.

Close to 3,000 people have been wounded, many more are missing, and others remain trapped under tons of rubble.

President Donald Trump has vowed to ramp up help to Venezuela following Thursday’s quake.

“We took over Venezuela in less than one day, and the oil is flowing, and we’re getting along with them great,” Trump said in remarks from the Rose Garden Thursday evening.

“We’re going to, by the way, help them with their big – they had a tremendous earthquake last night. Did you read about massive, massive in Caracas? But we’re going to help them out,” Trump added.

A Marine Corps general flew into Caracas on Thursday to help lead the US military’s earthquake relief effort in Venezuela, where, just six months ago, US special forces launched a deadly raid to capture President Nicolás Maduro.

Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard is the senior Southern Command official on the ground.

The military said he is to “plan, coordinate, and direct the flow of rescue teams, equipment, and aid into the hardest-hit areas.”

US aircraft are flying search crews and supplies in, while State Department personnel are coordinating the broader response.

Southern Command, which directs US military activities in Latin America and the Caribbean, said it was “surging” forces to the region at the request of the interim government.

Relief teams from around the world are also mobilizing aid, and foreign aid pledges are pouring in.

“We haven’t slept a wink in our efforts to save lives,” acting President Delcy Rodríguez said on Friday.

Rodríguez also praised the arrival of international assistance and emergency crews, saying, “We have saved dozens of lives.”

More than 100 buildings collapsed in the La Guaira state, the area hardest hit by the double quake that struck Venezuela on Wednesday, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said.

During a broadcast on state-run Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), Cabello said Caraballeda and Catia La Mar were the hardest-hit areas in the state and said 11,500 security personnel would be deployed to La Guaira on Friday to “guarantee peace.”

Venezuelan forces deployed to the area hit by Wednesday’s double earthquake are still searching for people who may be trapped under the rubble.

In an interview granted to Venezuelan public television (VTV), the Sectoral Vice President of Public Works and Services, Juan José Ramírez, stated that operations are being carried out with different machinery, such as percussion equipment that allows for the controlled breaking of concrete, with the hope of finding and rescuing more people alive.

Ramírez appealed to the public to let specialized civil protection teams do their job.

“Many times, volunteers trying to help can actually make things worse,” the official said.

Ramírez emphasized that the priority is “to save lives,” while efforts are also underway to restore basic services such as water and communications.

The US Treasury Department said Thursday it will permit “all transactions” with Venezuela “related to earthquake relief efforts.”

The Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) authorizes only partial and temporary relief from restrictions from June 26 through October 23.

The general license allows the processing and transfer of funds on behalf of third-country individuals “to or from” Venezuela, as long as they support operations covered by the specific authorization.

Venezuelans are frustrated by the slow pace of the government’s rescue response in the immediate aftermath of the twin quakes that struck on Wednesday.

“People are really frustrated. They are scared because they know that they don’t have a state that will fulfill its role. So they know that nobody is going to go there and help them,” said Venezuelan economist Jorge Jraissati.

This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.

NBC Co-Hosts Launch Explosive Physical Brawl During Live Debate - GMT - G1

NEW YORK — A high-profile morning political debate turned into absolute pandemonium inside 30 Rockefeller Plaza on Thursday when two seasoned NBC co-hosts engaged in a violent, on-set brawl on live national television. The unprecedented melee forced master control to pull the emergency plug, instantly severing the network’s live satellite feed and thrusting the broadcast giant into a severe operational and legal crisis.

The shocking confrontation played out in real time before millions of American households, triggering what broadcast historians are calling one of the most catastrophic on-air collapses in modern television history.

The Breaking Point: How Sharp Rhetoric Turned Physical

According to floor staff and internal network communications, the friction ignited during an open-panel discussion on breaking domestic policy. The co-hosts—routinely paired to generate sharp ideological contrast—quickly abandoned the day’s editorial rundown as policy friction escalated into vicious personal jabs.

Within seconds, the broadcast format completely collapsed:

The Initial Lunge: Following a biting verbal attack, one anchor slammed their palms onto the desk, rose from their chair, and lunged across the set to shove their colleague.
The Melee: The altercation instantly spiraled into a full-scale wrestling match over the anchor desk, sending high-end studio microphones crashing, shattering glassware, and scattering production rundown papers across the stage.
The Master Cut: Open studio audio captured gasps from crew members, heavy scuffling, and an open floor mic catching a panicked director screaming: “Cut the feed! Cut the feed now!”
The Blackout: Exactly four seconds after physical contact began, control room engineers terminated the live feed, replacing the chaotic scene with an abrupt slate of national commercials.

Security Swarms Set, Medical Deployed to 30 Rock

Immediately after the broadcast was cut, building security and floor managers swarmed the Studio 6A set to physically pry the two anchors apart.

On-site medical staff treated both individuals for minor contusions and abrasions sustained during the fall over the anchor platform. Following on-site evaluation, corporate security escorted both commentators out of 30 Rockefeller Plaza through separate exits to prevent further escalation.

Network Issues Indefinite Suspensions, Evaluates Legal Fallout

Late Thursday afternoon, NBC News corporate leadership issued an emergency statement confirming swift disciplinary action:

“NBC News maintains an uncompromising commitment to workplace safety and professional conduct. Physical violence of any description is completely unacceptable. Both on-air contributors have been suspended indefinitely without pay pending an internal investigation and legal consultation.”

Clips capturing the moments leading up to the blacked-out feed exploded across social media within minutes, racking up tens of millions of views across X, TikTok, and YouTube, while igniting widespread public outcry over the deteriorating state of national broadcast discourse.

Industry Fallout: The Breaking Point of Partisan Panel Formats

The shocking clash has ignited an industry-wide reckoning over the risks of high-friction television formats:

Workplace Liability & OSHA Scrutiny: Broadcast networks face severe legal liability when on-air debate formats escalate into physical workplace violence.
Advertiser Sensitivity: Major commercial sponsors are closely monitoring the network’s disciplinary measures, with media buyers warning that extreme volatility endangers high-value morning ad slots.
Panel Format Reassessment: Media analysts predict the brawl will force network executives to overhaul live debate segments, pivoting away from explosive ideological collisions in favor of heavily structured, lower-risk moderation.

As NBC legal and human resources executives review unedited high-definition studio tapes, the Studio 6A brawl remains a stark reminder of the volatile edge facing unscripted live television.

This is a developing media report. Further network statements and talent updates will follow as internal reviews proceed.

'NATIONAL EMERGENCY' DECLARED, TRUMP SURGES US TROOPS AFTER 'MASS CASUALTIES’