The death toll from the catastrophic series of earthquakes that rocked Venezuela this week has risen to at least 589, with at least 2,980 injured and thousands more missing as U.S. military leadership has arrived in Caracas to help coordinate relief efforts. 

The number of dead is expected to climb Friday following back-to-back magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that hit northern Venezuela on Wednesday night, roughly 120 miles west of Caracas. 

Venezuelan state TV has broadcast dramatic images of rescues, including a woman who was trapped under a cement slab, only a bare foot poking out before crews managed to get her out alive, The Associated Press reported. The injured were seen being pulled out of the rubble covered in dust and blood, among them children and animals. 

U.S. Southern Command said overnight that U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Kevin J. Jarrard arrived in Caracas on Thursday “to oversee Department of War support to Venezuela earthquake relief efforts.”

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLEDGES $150M IN AID, DEPLOYS NAVY WARSHIPS AFTER DEADLY VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES

SOUTHCOM’s announcement comes as the Trump administration has activated a government-wide humanitarian response, pledging $150 million in aid and deploying U.S. Navy warships to assist in life-saving rescue operations.  

“Maj. Gen. Jarrard is serving as the senior U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) official on the ground and is working closely with partners to plan, coordinate, and direct the U.S. military’s unparalleled logistical and operational capabilities to support the rapid, life-saving movement of response personnel, equipment, and humanitarian assistance into affected areas,” SOUTHCOM said in a statement, noting that Venezuela’s interim government — led by acting President Delcy Rodríguez — formally requested American assistance. 

“Assigned U.S. military forces will utilize fixed and rotor wing aircraft to provide specialized mobility services and assist U.S. Government personnel, search and rescue teams, and partners assessing damage and delivering critical life-saving assistance,” SOUTHCOM added.

PLAYERS, FANS FLEE STADIUM AS POWERFUL EARTHQUAKES STRIKE DURING VENEZUELA BASEBALL GAME

The coastal region of La Guaira, which is located north of Caracas, suffered some of the heaviest damage and casualties. The country’s main airport is there and was closed due to damage, complicating aid efforts. 

Retired schoolteacher Juan Alberto Mendaño climbed through wreckage in La Guaira and past a body when he spotted a woman who was trapped and signaling with her hand for help, according to the AP. 

“May God rescue her as quickly as possible,” Mendaño reportedly said. “When we heard the scream, there was nothing we could do.” 

Venezuelan authorities said they were diverting rescue teams from other parts of the country to La Guaira. 

Rodríguez also appealed to businesses Thursday to make heavy construction equipment available for rescue operations.

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“We hope to rescue as many living people as possible,” Rodríguez added, referring to La Guaira as a “disaster zone.” 

Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

The assessment by the Director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, Carlo Buontempo, on the current heatwave hitting Europe is clear.

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“There’s a clear need to develop strategies to cope with these extremes (as) they have the potential to kill us,” Buontempo warned.

He made the comments on Euronews’ flagship morning programme Europe Today on Friday — a day where extreme weather warnings have been issued for France, Belgium, Germany and Britain, following half-a-week of soaring temperatures sizzling capitals and citizens.

These increased temperatures are “a natural consequence of the fact that the world is warming up”, Buontempo said. These temperatures have affected the “frequency, intensity, duration, and onset” of heatwaves.

The climate expert hailing from the Bonn-based research centre called on both cities and citizens to act, arguing that the design of the former must improve and that it is key to develop “habits and actions” on a personal level to keep us cool and safe.

Buontempo said these solutions could “reduce heat-related mortality, which has gone up in Europe by 30% in the last 20 years.”

What has also gone up massively, he said, is the number of cities that have a climate adaptation plans. This includes larger greener areas, more insulated houses, and changing opening hours of businesses and offices.

“For many cities we are not there yet, but for many others at least we have now a plan and it is not abstract. It is affecting us today in our backyard,” Buontempo added.

Asked whether the EU should take action and establish a single policy approach to address global warming, he said that there is not a one-size fits all solution. But there is an opportunity to learn from partners.

“We should do more in that respect,” he said, adding: “What people do in Athens could be applied to Copenhagen.”

On where the limit lies in terms of rising temperatures, Buontempo maintained that they “will continue to go up even if we were to stop emissions tomorrow, which we are not.”

Despite the gloom and gloom of climate change, he said knowledge is power.

“We can use this information, which is open and free for everyone. If we didn’t have it, we would be blind and facing a bigger risk,” Buontempo said.

Watch today’s episode of Europe Today in full.

TYRE, Lebanon (AP) — Hassan Ammar is based in Beirut, Lebanon, and has worked for The Associated Press since 2008. Since 2016, he has been based in Beirut covering conflicts, politics, breaking news and daily life across Lebanon and the wider Middle East.

Here’s what he had to say about this extraordinary photo.

Why this photo?

I made this photograph while documenting the impact of the war between Israel and Hezbollah on civilians in southern Lebanon. I was working on a story about families who had been displaced by the conflict and were beginning to return to their homes. While much of the damage was visible outside, I was interested in documenting the quieter moments inside people’s homes and how they were adapting to life after the fighting. When I entered this apartment, the unusual atmosphere immediately caught my attention and felt like a powerful way to tell that story.

How I made this photo

The image was made in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre while I was covering the aftermath of the conflict. I had knocked on the door of an apartment to ask permission to photograph damaged buildings from the balcony. As soon as I entered, the intense red light filling the room caught my attention. The apartment’s balcony glass had been shattered by nearby strikes, and the residents had hung a red sheet over the opening to provide privacy and block the strong sunlight. With no electricity in the area, the room was almost completely dark, creating a dramatic contrast between the glowing red fabric and the deep shadows.

As the apartment owners were working to secure and cover the damaged balcony doors, I noticed the silhouette created by the afternoon sun shining through the red sheet. The dark curtains framing the opening added another layer to the scene, almost like a theater stage, helping draw the viewer’s eye toward the bright red light. I began looking for a composition that would emphasize the unusual light and mood. I was not specifically expecting a person to appear in the frame, but after a short moment someone moved behind the fabric and pressed a hand against it. That simple gesture immediately transformed the scene, giving the image a human presence and emotional weight.

The photograph was made with a Sony A1 and a 24-70mm lens. I exposed for the bright red fabric and the silhouette created by the sunlight while allowing the rest of the room to fall into deep shadow. The contrast between the glowing red light, the dark interior and the curtains framing the scene helped create the dramatic atmosphere I was trying to convey.

Why this photo works

For me, the photograph works because it conveys a sense of confinement, uncertainty and human vulnerability without showing a face. The hand becomes a symbol of the people living through the conflict, while the red light can evoke different emotions, including danger, fear and resilience. The image leaves room for interpretation while remaining rooted in a real situation. When I reviewed the photograph on the back of my camera, I felt it captured something deeper than a simple news image. It expressed the emotional and psychological atmosphere many civilians were experiencing after months of war.

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For more extraordinary AP photography, click here.