The Trump administration&#8217;s massive earthquake relief operation in Venezuela is highlighting a remarkable shift in U.S.-Venezuelan relations just six months after U.S. special forces captured former dictator Nicolás Maduro.
After two massive earthquakes measuring magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck north-central Venezuela last week, the United States launched a robust relief operation, <a href="https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/06/update-on-the-trump-administrations-robust-and-rapid-delivery-of-life-saving-u-s-assistance-to-venezuela">committing</a> more than $300 million in aid and deploying troops, humanitarian workers, and search-and-rescue teams across the country.
So far, the death toll stands at roughly 2,295 people, with that number expected to rise as more bodies are recovered from the rubble.
The response stands in contrast to the hostile relationship that existed only months earlier, when the United States seized Venezuelan oil tankers, threatened military action against Maduro&#8217;s regime, and ultimately carried out the operation that removed him from power.
Promising a swift response to the disaster, Secretary of State Marco Rubio <a href="https://share.america.gov/expert-search-and-rescue-teams-save-lives-in-venezuela/">told</a> reporters, &#8220;It&#8217;ll be big; it&#8217;ll be fast; and it&#8217;ll be effective.&#8221;
The State Department announced Monday that the administration increased its commitment to more than $300 million after U.S. personnel on the ground identified urgent humanitarian needs. The funding includes $200 million for aid organizations and another roughly $100 million dedicated to specialized American logistics, military support, search-and-rescue operations, and emergency supplies. 
Officials emphasized that the money is flowing through established humanitarian partners rather than directly through the Venezuelan government. Organizations receiving support include Samaritan&#8217;s Purse, Catholic Relief Services, UNICEF, the World Food Programme, Project Hope, the International Organization for Migration, International Medical Corps, and the Red Cross. 
The United States has deployed four elite urban search-and-rescue teams from Fairfax County, Los Angeles County, Miami-Dade County, and the City of Miami, totaling more than 300 first responders and 23 search dogs. The teams are conducting round-the-clock operations in some of the hardest-hit areas to locate survivors, provide medical care, and conduct structural assessments, according to the State Department.
The U.S. military has played a significant role in the relief effort. American airmen rapidly repaired and reopened Simón Bolívar International Airport near Caracas. A specialized Air Force team now coordinates tower and ground operations to keep humanitarian flights moving and supplies flowing to disaster zones. 
Offshore, the U.S. Navy transport dock ship, USS Fort Lauderdale, is supporting aid deliveries near La Guaira, where U.S. sailors and Marines are ferrying supplies to devastated coastal communities. American naval personnel are also working alongside Venezuelan authorities to repair and reopen the earthquake-damaged Port of La Guaira, a critical hub for incoming aid.
Assistant Secretary for Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs Caleb Orr is scheduled to travel to Venezuela from July 1 through July 3 amid the relief operations. 
Just six months ago, the two countries appeared headed toward a direct confrontation. Today, American troops and Venezuelan officials are working together to deliver aid.
What began as a maximum-pressure campaign early in Trump&#8217;s second term escalated into the seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and culminated in a lightning-fast 88-minute U.S. special operations raid that captured Maduro in January. 
According to American officials, the mission was among the most complex military operations in recent years. Venezuelans <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ive-never-seen-anything-like-it-maduros-security-guard-lays-out-what-its-like-facing-u-s-military">who witnessed</a> the assault described a force so overwhelming that Maduro&#8217;s security apparatus never stood a chance, with some claiming American commandos slipped in undetected, overwhelmed hundreds of security guards, and employed sonic weapon technology they had never seen before.
The raid culminated in an unforgettable scene: Maduro, once one of Washington&#8217;s most defiant adversaries, being escorted in New York City by American law enforcement. The scene went viral, turning the longtime bully into a humiliating symbol of his era’s collapse.
After Maduro&#8217;s capture, Trump signaled an expansive American role in Venezuela&#8217;s recovery.
“We&#8217;re going to run it, fix it,” Trump said at the time. “It&#8217;s a broken country.”
But the Trump administration ultimately established a working relationship with President Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro&#8217;s former vice president who assumed power after his removal.
Despite international backlash and accusations that the operation violated Venezuela&#8217;s sovereignty, Washington moved to stabilize the country and revive its economy. Relations between the two nations improved rapidly.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spearheaded the administration&#8217;s diplomatic outreach, seeking not only to stabilize Venezuela politically but also to rebuild relations between the two countries. At the same time, the administration encouraged American companies to invest in reviving Venezuela&#8217;s battered economy and oil industry.
In recent months, the administration has eased sanctions, restored direct commercial flights between the two countries for the first time in seven years, and backed economic reforms designed to attract foreign investment. Senior U.S. officials, including Energy Secretary Chris Wright, have traveled to Venezuela.
<a href="https://www.spglobal.com/energy/en/news-research/latest-news/crude-oil/061026-trump-official-says-venezuela-oil-recovery-on-track-after-maduro-ouster#:~:text=Venezuelan%20state%20oil%20company%20PDVSA,from%20the%20Ministry%20of%20Hydrocarbons.">According to S&amp;P Global</a>, Venezuela increased oil output from about 940,000 barrels per day in January to more than 1.15 million barrels per day in May. Government officials expect production to keep growing and reach 1.37 million barrels per day by the end of 2026, bringing help to the South American country’s struggling economy.
Venezuela&#8217;s economy has shown signs of improvement in recent months. Inflation, which topped 600% in 2025, has fallen dramatically, with monthly inflation now below 10%, according to Orr.
The improved relationship has implications beyond humanitarian aid or economic partnerships. By drawing Venezuela closer to Washington, the administration has sought to diminish the influence of adversaries such as China, Russia, and Cuba, all of which expanded their foothold in the country during the Maduro years.
The shift has also been welcomed by many Venezuelan Americans, particularly in South Florida, where large diaspora communities have long advocated for Maduro&#8217;s removal and closer ties between the United States and a post-Maduro Venezuela.
Now, as Venezuela confronts one of the worst natural disasters in its recent history, the United States is playing a leading role in the international relief effort — a scene that would have been almost unimaginable just months ago.
Leona Salinas contributed to this report.

Search and rescue operations continue in earthquake-hit Venezuela

Earthquake Relief Marks Historic Shift In U.S. Relations With Venezuela

U.S. Earthquake Relief Marks Stunning Shift In Relations With Venezuela

Marco Rubio

Natural Disaster

Nicolas Maduro

Trump Administration

Venezuela

The wife and children of Argentine soccer player Lucas Trejo have been found dead following the massive back-to-back earthquakes in Venezuela. 
<a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/28/sports/lucas-trejos-wife-kids-found-dead-after-venezuela-earthquakes/">According to The New York Post</a>, Trejo’s wife, Yanina Maranella, and their children, Aarón and Ainhoa, are among the victims as the death toll continues to rise.
Family friend Edson Tortolero, a soccer player himself, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DaIbcH4RWcb/">paid tribute</a> to the family on Instagram, writing in Spanish: “We inform all the people of Venezuela and Argentina that the bodies of Lucas Trejo’s family members have been found lifeless.&#8221;
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“We thank everyone for the support and ask for the most sincere respect for his family at this time. WE PRAY FOR ETERNAL LIFE FOR THEM.”
Trejo’s club, Venezuelan side Club Sport Marítimo de La Guaira, said that there had been a three-day search for his wife and children, according to The Post, 
“Club Sport Maritimo La Guaira deeply mourns the loss suffered by Lucas Trejo’s family. We ask for respect for his relatives and teammates,” the statement read, according to The Post. “After a 74-hour search, they were found deceased.”
The death toll from the devastating <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/venezuela-devastated-by-back-to-back-earthquakes-trump-takes-action?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Venezuela+Devastated+By+Back-To-Back+Earthquakes%2C+Trump+Takes+Action">earthquakes</a> has climbed to at least 1,430 people, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/earthquakes-venezuela-rescues-survivors-92a3d6c13c0f9af9c1bfb4ff6d041254">according to the Associated Press</a>, and tens of thousands remain missing. Desperate Venezuelans looking for loved ones used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes, and bare hands to search for the missing under rubble and dilapidated structures. 
Caracas and the surrounding area were rocked Wednesday evening by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, followed by a 7.5 magnitude quake just 40 seconds later. The devastating earthquakes were unusually close together and instantly leveled large buildings, including homes and apartment complexes, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-toll-climbs-from-twin-earthquake-disaster-as-rescuers-race-to-find-survivors">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported. 
Rescue teams are working against the clock to find survivors within the “golden window,” the 48- to 72-hour time period to reach people buried under rubble. Many search and rescue teams also follow a “rule of fours,” which states that trapped survivors can last four minutes without air, four days without water, and four weeks without food, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/world/live-news/venezuela-earthquake-hnk?post-id=cmqud1pu300043b6rpgjce4vi">CNN</a>.
With time running out, there are still signs of miraculous survival amid widespread death and devastation. Over the weekend, American rescuers pulled a 9-month-old baby and her mom from the rubble of a collapsed building in Venezuela, <a href="https://x.com/VATF1/status/2071009549906272649?s=20">according to the State Department. </a>
On Sunday, U.S. personnel on the ground saved three more lives from the rubble. 
“We couldn’t be prouder,” the State Department <a href="https://x.com/StateDept/status/2071328289218507262?s=20">said</a>, fulfilling a promise made by President Trump.  
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends,” he said after the back-to-back quakes. 
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Today, members of USA-01, working alongside local firefighters, rescued a mother &amp; her nine-month-old baby from a collapsed structure. Both were found alive with only minor injuries, brought to safety to the cheers of neighbors. 
This is our why: the delivery of hope.<a href="https://x.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a> <a href="https://t.co/3ZmJWlN5oL">pic.twitter.com/3ZmJWlN5oL</a>
— VA-TF1 / USA-01 &#8211; Urban Search and Rescue (@VATF1) <a href="https://x.com/VATF1/status/2071009549906272649?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2026</a></blockquote>

VENEZUELA-EARTHQUAKE

Rescue Teams Search Rubble, Pray For Miracles After Deadly Quakes

Tragedy And Miracles Side By Side In Wake Of Deadly Earthquakes

Earthquakes

News

A search and rescue team successfully rescued a dog buried under rubble following two massive earthquakes in Venezuela.
Video shows the dog’s head sticking out of debris as the rescuers gave it water and dug it out.
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Venezuela rescuers give dog water as his head peeks out from mountain of earthquake rubble <a href="https://t.co/7y9HJ2WQUF">pic.twitter.com/7y9HJ2WQUF</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://x.com/nypost/status/2070551798889279816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The unit had finished a search and rescue mission at a nearby home when the group heard barking from rubble, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/27/world-news/video-captures-firefighters-rescuing-dog-from-the-rubble-of-venezuela-earthquakes/">according</a> to the New York Post. The team located the dog and safely extricated it from the debris.
“This extraordinary discovery has served as a symbol of hope for everyone at the disaster site,” the Caracas Fire Department said in a statement, according to the Post. “Our emergency teams continue to work tirelessly on search and rescue efforts, reaffirming our absolute commitment to saving lives. We press on, with strength and solidarity!”
The successful canine rescue comes as searches for earthquake survivors continue. At least 920 people are dead and 3,360 are injured, the Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/26/world-news/neighbors-dig-through-venezuela-rubble-to-search-for-loved-ones-after-earthquakes-kill-at-least-235/">reported</a>.
Two earthquakes of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude struck Venezuela Wednesday night, leveling homes and large buildings in Caracas and the nearby area.
Saturday night will mark three days since the disaster, a crucial period for rescue teams as the first 48 to 72 hours offer the best chance of finding people alive.
“Each person saved is a miracle,” Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, said. “We are not going to hide absolutely anything about the magnitude of this tragedy.”
Venezuelan authorities began blocking access to La Guaira, the site of some of the worst destruction, so citizens would not disrupt rescue teams, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/venezuelan-earthquake-death-toll-hits-least-920-us-rescuers-race-against-critical-survival-window">reported</a>.
Many civilians are searching for missing loved ones by themselves, citing a lack of state search and rescue teams in hard-hit areas, according to the Post.
Nazareth Jimenez, who lives in La Guaira, watched her neighbors use power tools to cut through rubble in an attempt to find survivors, the AP reported.
“We’re making a call for help to the government and countries across the world,” Jimenez told the outlet. “There are still people alive in there.”
As of Friday, the Venezuelan government believed around 50,000 people were still missing, and the U.S. Geological Survey predicted more than 10,000 deaths, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/death-toll-climbs-from-twin-earthquake-disaster-as-rescuers-race-to-find-survivors">reported</a>.
The United States has offered assistance in the aftermath of the quakes, and rescue teams from California, Florida, and Virginia were sent to Venezuela Friday, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/world/venezuelan-earthquake-death-toll-hits-least-920-us-rescuers-race-against-critical-survival-window">according</a> to Fox News. Teams from countries including Chile, Mexico, and Switzerland are helping search for survivors as well.
“The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help!” President Donald Trump said Wednesday night. “I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends.”

WATCH: Rescuers Pull Dog From Rubble As Earthquake Death Toll Rises

earthquake

The death toll from the massive back-to-back <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/venezuela-devastated-by-back-to-back-earthquakes-trump-takes-action?author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Venezuela+Devastated+By+Back-To-Back+Earthquakes%2C+Trump+Takes+Action">earthquakes</a> that struck Venezuela on Wednesday has climbed to at least 235 people as search and rescue teams continue to comb through the rubble, according to the latest report from authorities. More than 4,300 people were also injured in the disaster.
Caracas and the surrounding area were rocked Wednesday evening by a 7.2 magnitude earthquake that was followed by a 7.5 magnitude quake just 40 seconds later. The devastating earthquakes were unusually close together and instantly leveled large buildings, including homes and apartment complexes.
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The Venezuelan government believes that around 50,000 people are still missing after the earthquakes, and the death toll is expected to climb much higher. The U.S. Geological Survey has predicted more than 10,000 deaths, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/rescuers-comb-venezuelan-quake-rubble-thousands-reported-missing-2026-06-26/">reported</a>.
Rescue teams are working against the clock as they seek to find survivors within the &#8220;golden window,&#8221; the 48- to 72-hour time period to reach people buried under rubble before their chance of survival greatly diminishes. As of time of publication, it has been over 60 hours since the twin quakes. Many search and rescue teams also follow a &#8220;rule of fours,&#8221; which states that trapped survivors can last four minutes without air, four days without water, and four weeks without food, according to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/06/26/world/live-news/venezuela-earthquake-hnk?post-id=cmqud1pu300043b6rpgjce4vi">CNN</a>.
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<div id="attachment_1123767" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1123767" class="wp-image-1123767 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2282641271-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2282641271-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2282641271-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2282641271-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2282641271.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Rescue workers carry a person on a stretcher out of a collapsed building following an earthquake in Caracas on June 24, 2026. (Photo by Juan Barreto / AFP via Getty Images)</div>
Search teams have successfully rescued some people from collapsed buildings as video footage has shown emergency workers moving bloodied people out of the wreckage, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/latin-america/venezuela-eartquake-death-toll-trapped-rcna351884">reported</a>. Rescue teams from Mexico, Chile, El Salvador, the Dominican Republic, and Switzerland have joined Venezuelan authorities in the search effort. Numerous other countries have also offered their assistance, including the United States.
A senior U.S. Southern Command official has already arrived in Caracas to view the damage and prepare America&#8217;s efforts to help Venezuela. President Donald Trump said late Wednesday night, &#8220;The U.S.A. stands ready, willing, and able to help! I have instructed all agencies of our government to get ready to move quickly. We will be there for our new and great friends.&#8221;
Venezuela confirmed that 250 buildings have been damaged, including at least eight hospitals.

Rescue Efforts Continue In Venezuela After A Magnitude 7.2 Earthquake Struck The Country

Death Toll Climbs From Twin Earthquake Disaster As Rescuers Race To Find Survivors

Dozens of people died and over 200 were injured on Monday after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake slammed the Philippines. 
The earthquake hit south of the island of Mindanao, and at least 22 million people were impacted by severe or moderate shaking. At least 32 people have been confirmed dead, over 200 people were injured, and hundreds of thousands displaced in the strongest earthquake to hit the country in nearly 40 years, according to reports. 
The quake led to tsunami warnings, but American officials quickly <a href="https://x.com/Hawaii_EMA/status/2063784873723351490?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2063784873723351490%7Ctwgr%5E49081bb7419b1925992e2ba6b9fe5da10ef10c65%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxweather.com%2Fextreme-weather%2Fmagnitude-7-8-earthquake-strikes-off-philippines-tsunami-warnings">confirmed</a> there was no threat to Hawaii. Tsunami warnings were issued for multiple nearby islands including Taiwan, Japan, Guam, and Papua New Guinea.
&#8220;The national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind,&#8221; <a href="https://pco.gov.ph/news_releases/statement-of-president-ferdinand-r-marcos-jr-on-the-mindanao-earthquake/">said</a> Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “I am in constant communication with our regional offices and local chief executives on the ground.”
Mindanao is the second biggest island in the Philippines and home to over 27 million people. Earthquakes frequently strike the area, with the U.S. Geological Survey <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000srb1/executive">noting</a> that there have been at least 35 earthquakes measuring over 7 magnitude since 1900. 
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<div id="attachment_1111193" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1111193" class="size-full wp-image-1111193" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2279850484.jpg" alt="ANKARA, TURKIYE - JUNE 8: An infographic titled &quot;Powerful earthquakes jolt Philippines&quot; created in Ankara, Turkiye on June 8, 2026. " width="1024" height="1024" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2279850484.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2279850484-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2279850484-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2279850484-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/GettyImages-2279850484-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Photo by Omar Zaghloul/Anadolu via Getty Images.</div>
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Marcos Jr. added that he ordered “the suspensions of all classes in all levels across affected areas in Mindanao until further notice. The safety of our children comes first.”
He also called for people to pay attention to the tsunami warnings, telling them to “move to higher ground now. Do not wait. Your life is more important than anything left behind.”  
The U.S. Geological Survey <a href="https://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000srb1/pager">estimated</a> that there would be a 42% chance that there would be between 10-100 fatalities and a 32% chance the fatalities would be between 100 and 1,000. It also gave a 39% chance that the economic damage would be between $100 million and $1 billion. The agency added that the quake occurred because of thrust faulting, <a href="https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/what-a-fault-and-what-are-different-types">when</a> the upper block on a thrust plane moves up and over the lower block. 
One local <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/07/world/asia/hilippines-earthquake-tsunami-warning.html">told</a> the New York Times that he ran for higher ground with his young daughter after the earthquake hit. 
“I was very scared, my knees were trembling,” Julius Golez said. “We were crying; so many other people were also crying.”

7.8 magnitude earthquake leaves 14 dead, 7 others missing in southern Philippines

Dozens Dead After Massive Earthquake Triggers Tsunami Warnings

Philippines

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp declared an emergency on Friday for 91 counties in his state, where authorities are battling two major wildfires that have caused record property damage as more than 120 homes and other buildings have gone up in flames.
The Highway 82 and Pineland Road fires &#8211; one sparked by a party balloon, the other by a welder&#8217;s torch &#8211; are by far the fiercest among dozens of blazes ravaging the drought-stricken Georgia countryside and neighboring states of Florida, South Carolina, and Alabama in recent days.
No casualties were reported in Georgia, which has borne the brunt of the wildfires. But a volunteer firefighter died on Thursday evening after suffering an unspecified medical emergency while fighting a brush fire in northern Florida, according to various news media reports.
The conflagrations were primed by a confluence of climate extremes gripping the Southeast, authorities said.
Unusually sparse rainfall this spring following heavy vegetation growth in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene last fall has created a fuel bed of drought-parched timber and brush now posing the kind of wildfire hazards more typical for the Western United States in summer.
&#8220;We are in extreme drought conditions, and wildfire activity has already surpassed our five-year average,&#8221; Georgia Forestry Commission Director Johnny Sabo said in a video message posted online. &#8220;Right now conditions are so dry that even one small spark can quickly turn into a dangerous wildfire.&#8221;
As of Friday night, the Highway 82 and Pineland blazes had scorched more than 39,500 acres (16,000 hectares) combined, incinerating at least 122 homes and other structures, state forestry officials said. The tally of destruction marked the biggest property loss from a single fire event in Georgia&#8217;s history, the governor told a press conference.
Nearly 1,000 more homes remained threatened, he said.
Fires are scattered across Georgia, with the two biggest clustered in the southeast near the Florida border, roughly 250 miles (400 km) southeast of Atlanta, the state&#8217;s capital and largest city.
News footage of the fires showed walls of pine trees engulfed in flames, and Kemp described &#8220;fire that is burning to the top of trees and burning from one treetop to another.&#8221;
With firefighters and water-dropping aircraft struggling to halt the advance of the flames, crews were trying to protect homes still in harm&#8217;s way, Kemp said.
Teams had managed to carve containment lines around 10% of the perimeters of each of the two major fires, forestry officials said.
In a move aimed at hastening and consolidating Georgia&#8217;s disaster response, Kemp declared a state of emergency in 91 of Georgia&#8217;s 159 counties. Sabo announced a 30-day ban on the outdoor burning of refuse, agricultural waste or campfires in the same counties, the first such restriction in the state&#8217;s history.
The origin of the two biggest blazes illustrated how a small ignition source could touch off catastrophic fires.
Investigators determined that the Highway 82 blaze began on Monday, when an aluminum-coated balloon landed on a transmission line, triggering an electrical spark that ignited surrounding vegetation.
The Pineland Road fire, burning since April 18, was touched off by a stray spark from a welding operation that fell to the forest floor, authorities said.
Authorities said they expected extreme fire conditions to persist through the weekend, with gusty winds and little chance of rain in the forecast.
(Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by William Mallard)

Firefighter

Stray Spark And Aluminum Balloon: Georgia Declares State Of Emergency As Wildfires Rage In South

Brian Kemp

Fire

Georgia

U.S.

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Tehran, home to more than 10 million people, stands on the brink of a catastrophic water shortage amid Iran’s most severe drought in decades. In 2025, the capital has seen a 100% drop in precipitation compared to the previous year — an unprecedented collapse that has left the region’s reservoirs nearly empty. Iranian officials are now warning that, absent immediate rainfall, parts of the city may face forced evacuation within weeks.
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At the center of the crisis is the Amir Kabir Dam, once a cornerstone of Tehran’s water supply. Today, it holds only <a href="https://www.rudaw.net/english/middleeast/iran/07112025">14 million cubic meters of water</a> — just 8% of capacity — enough to sustain the city for about two weeks under current conditions. Tehran depends on five primary dams — Lar, Mamlu, Amir Kabir, Taleqan, and Latyan — but together they are only <a href="https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2025/11/07/tehran039s-main-dams-only-11-pct-full-amid-severe-drought#goog_rewarded">8%</a>. Excluding the newly added Taleqan Dam, that figure plunges to 5%, according to Mohsen Ardakani, head of Tehran’s Water and Wastewater Company.
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Tehran’s environmental collapse is only one part of a broader national emergency. <a href="https://www.ncr-iran.org/en/news/human-rights/stop-executions-in-iran/irans-regime-executes-14-on-oct-14-over-2000-killed-under-pezeshkian/">According</a> to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), more than 2,000 people have been killed in just 14 and a half months of Pezeshkian’s repressive presidency, as the regime tightens its grip.
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Tehran province received only 159 millimeters of rainfall in the last water year, the lowest in a century, and has had no measurable rain since September 23. Current dam reserves have dropped to 252 million cubic meters, down from 420 million cubic meters in previous years, and weather forecasts indicate no significant rainfall is expected before December. Even after tapping underground aquifers to maintain a minimal supply, the crisis remains “critical,” Ardakani warned.
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The Karaj Dam, another key source, is currently at 7% capacity, and clean water could be exhausted within two weeks, according to Mehdi Maghsoudi, director of Karaj Water Affairs.
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President Masoud Pezeshkian admitted, “If it does not rain, we will have to start restricting water supplies in Tehran next month. If the drought continues, we will run out of water and be forced to evacuate the city.”
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With the capital consuming about three million cubic meters of water per day, Tehran has little margin for error. The convergence of drought, state failure, and brutal governance paints a grim picture of a nation on the brink — where both the land and its people are being drained dry.
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Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamanei

Iran’s Despotic Government May Have To Evacuate Tehran Because Of Water Shortage

drought

Iran

World

KABUL (Reuters) -One of Afghanistan&#8217;s worst earthquakes killed more than 800 people and injured at least 2,800, authorities said on Monday, as rescuers struggled to reach remote areas due to rough mountainous terrain and inclement weather.
The disaster will further stretch the resources of the war-torn nation&#8217;s Taliban, already grappling with crises ranging from a sharp drop in foreign aid to deportations of hundreds of thousands of Afghans by neighbouring countries.
Sharafat Zaman, spokesperson for the health ministry in Kabul, called for international aid to tackle the devastation wrought by the quake of magnitude 6 that struck around midnight local time, at a depth of 10 km (6 miles).
&#8220;We need it because here lots of people lost their lives and houses,&#8221; he told Reuters.
The quake killed 812 people in the eastern provinces of Kunar and Nangarhar, administration spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said.
Ziaul Haq Mohammadi, a student at Al-Falah University in the eastern city of Jalalabad, was studying in his room at home when the quake struck. He said he tried to stand up but was knocked over by the power of the tremor.
&#8220;We spent the whole night in fear and anxiety because at any moment another earthquake could happen,&#8221; Mohammadi said.
Rescuers were battling to reach remote mountainous areas cut off from mobile networks along the Pakistani border, where mudbrick homes dotting the slopes collapsed in the quake.
&#8220;The area of the earthquake was affected by heavy rain in the last 24-48 hours as well, so the risk of landslides and rock slides is also quite significant &#8211; that is why many of the roads are impassable,&#8221; Kate Carey, an officer at the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), told Reuters.
Rescue teams and authorities are trying to dispose of animal carcasses quickly so as to minimise the risk of contamination to water resources, Carey said.
Casualties could rise as rescue teams access more isolated locations, authorities said.
&#8220;All our &#8230; teams have been mobilised to accelerate assistance, so that comprehensive and full support can be provided,&#8221; said health ministry spokesperson Abdul Maten Qanee, citing efforts in areas from security to food and health.
Reuters Television images showed helicopters ferrying out the affected, while residents helped security forces and medics carry the wounded to ambulances in an area with a long history of earthquakes and floods.
Military rescue teams fanned out across the region, the defence ministry said in a statement, with 40 flights carrying away 420 wounded and dead.
The quake razed three villages in Kunar, with substantial damage in many others, authorities said. At least 610 people were killed in Kunar with 12 dead in Nangarhar, they added.
It was Afghanistan&#8217;s third major deadly quake since the Taliban took over in 2021 as foreign forces withdrew, triggering a cut to the international funding that formed the bulk of government finances.
Diplomats and aid officials say crises elsewhere in the world, along with donor frustration over the Taliban&#8217;s policies towards women, including curbs on those who are aid workers, have spurred the cuts in funding.
Even humanitarian aid, aimed at bypassing political institutions to serve urgent needs, has shrunk to $767 million this year, down from $3.8 billion in 2022.
APPEALS FOR FUNDING
Humanitarian agencies say they are fighting a forgotten crisis in Afghanistan, where the United Nations estimates more than half the population is in urgent need of humanitarian aid.
&#8220;So far, no foreign governments have reached out to provide support for rescue or relief work,&#8221; a spokesperson of Afghanistan&#8217;s foreign office said on Monday.
Later, a spokesperson for China&#8217;s foreign ministry said it was ready to provide disaster relief assistance &#8220;according to Afghanistan&#8217;s needs and within its capacity&#8221;.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar of India said it had delivered 1,000 family tents to Kabul and was moving 15 tonnes of food material to Kunar, with more relief material to be sent from India starting Tuesday.
U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres said its mission in Afghanistan was preparing to help those in areas devastated by the quake. Pope Leo also sent condolences for the dead.
A 6.1-magnitude earthquake that killed 1,000 people in the eastern region in 2022 was the first major natural disaster faced by the Taliban government.
Humanitarian officials and locals say almost two years after a powerful tremor hit the western city of Herat, many villages are still recovering and living in temporary structures.
Afghanistan is prone to deadly earthquakes, particularly in the Hindu Kush mountain range, where the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates meet.
Quakes in Afghanistan tend to be so deadly because of building construction that is often vulnerable to shaking, and the number of people living in the Hindu Kush, said Richard Walker, professor of tectonics at the University of Oxford.
(Reporting by Mohammad Yunus Yawar in Kabul, Saeed Shah and Charlotte Greenfield in Islamabad, Mrinmay Dey and Hritam Mukherjee; writing by Ariba Shahid, Sudipto Ganguly and Shilpa Jamkhandikar; editing by Clarence Fernandez and Mark Heinrich)

Aftermath of deadly magnitude-6 earthquake in Afghanistan

Afghanistan Earthquake Kills 800, Injures Thousands As Taliban Seeks Global Aid

Afghanistan

Taliban

Tropical Storm Erin intensified to become the first Atlantic hurricane of 2025, with Caribbean residents bracing for what forecasters warn could become a dangerous Category 3 storm as early as Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center confirmed Hurricane Erin reached sustained winds of 75 mph Friday morning, with the storm currently located approximately 460 miles east of the nearest Caribbean islands, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/hurricanes/tropical-storm-erin-expected-strengthen-first-atlantic-hurricane-2025-rcna225175" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NBC News reported</a>.
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Hurricane <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Erin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Erin</a> Advisory 17: Erin Becomes the First Hurricane of the 2025 Season. Expected to Pass Near Or North of the Leeward Islands On Saturday. <a href="https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb">https://t.co/tW4KeGdBFb</a>
— National Hurricane Center (@NHC_Atlantic) <a href="https://twitter.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1956367281778253889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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According to the <a href="https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2025-08-14-tropical-storm-hurricane-erin-caribbean">Weather Channel</a>, next week, &#8220;Erin is expected to pass between North Carolina and Bermuda,&#8221; with several northern Caribbean islands likely impacted, and forecasters are noting there remains some uncertainty regarding the hurricane&#8217;s impact on the U.S. East Coast.
&#8220;Erin is turning toward the west-northwest as it strengthens. This path will take Erin toward progressively warmer waters, which, in tandem with low wind shear, should allow Erin to become a major hurricane this weekend as it makes a close brush, or travels just north of the Caribbean islands,&#8221; The Weather Channel added.
Given its current trajectory through warm water in the open ocean, the National Hurricane Center projects Hurricane Erin reaching Category 4 status as early as next week.
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JUST IN: Erin has been upgraded to a Category 1 Hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph.
It is the first hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic season.
Erin is forecast to become a Major Hurricane late weekend/early next week, topping out as a Category 4. <a href="https://t.co/FeSdBfnHWd">pic.twitter.com/FeSdBfnHWd</a>
— MyRadar Weather (@MyRadarWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/MyRadarWX/status/1956367640659734666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2025</a></blockquote>
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Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for several Caribbean islands, including Anguilla, Barbuda, St. Barthelemy, St. Martin, Saba, St. Eustatius, and Sint Maarten, meaning tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours, Fox Weather <a href="https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/prep-file-hurricane-erin-becomes-first-hurricane-2025-atlantic-season">reported</a>.
The system is forecast to dump between two and four inches of rain in its early stages, with isolated areas potentially receiving up to six inches, potentially triggering flash/urban flooding, landslides, and mudslides across the northernmost Leeward Islands, the U.S. and British Virgin Islands, and southern and eastern Puerto Rico, per NBC.
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The disturbance that eventually became Hurricane Erin caused significant destruction in the African Cabo Verde islands earlier this week. Images from the island of São Vicente showed extensive flooding with muddy water rushing through streets and damaging homes, killing multiple people, per Fox Weather.
Emergency management officials in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands are urging residents to review hurricane plans and secure emergency supplies despite forecasts showing the storm&#8217;s center remaining offshore.

National Hurricane Center Monitors Tropical Storm Erin

First 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Barrels Toward Caribbean, Forecasters Warn Of Rapid Intensification

Hurricane

North Carolina

Puerto Rico

Severe Weather

A magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off Russia&#8217;s Far Eastern Kamchatka Peninsula on Wednesday, generating a tsunami of up to 4 metres (13 feet), damaging buildings and prompting evacuation warnings in the area and across most of Japan&#8217;s east coast, officials said.
&#8220;Today&#8217;s earthquake was serious and the strongest in decades of tremors,&#8221; Kamchatka Governor Vladimir Solodov said in a video posted on the Telegram messaging app, adding that a kindergarten was damaged.
A tsunami with a height of 3-4 metres (10-13 feet) was recorded in parts of Kamchatka, Sergei Lebedev, regional minister for emergency situations said, urging people to move away from the shoreline of the peninsula.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquake was shallow at a depth of 19.3 km (12 miles), and was centred 126 km (80 miles) east-southeast of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky, a city of 165,000 along the coast of Avacha Bay. It revised the magnitude up from 8.0 earlier.
The Japan Weather Agency upgraded its warning, saying it expected tsunami waves of up to 3 metres (10 feet) to reach large coastal areas starting around 0100 GMT. Broadcast NHK said evacuation orders had been issued by the government for some areas.
Factory workers and residents in Japan&#8217;s northern Hokkaido evacuated to a hill overlooking the ocean, footage from broadcaster TBS showed.
&#8220;Please evacuate quickly. If you can move quickly to higher ground and away from the coast,&#8221; a newscaster on Japanese public broadcaster NHK said.
The U.S. Tsunami Warning System also issued a warning of &#8220;hazardous tsunami waves&#8221; within the next three hours along some coasts of Russia, Japan, Alaska and Hawaii. A tsunami watch was also in effect for the U.S. island territory of Guam and other islands of Micronesia.
Hawaii ordered evacuations from some coastal areas. &#8220;Take Action! Destructive tsunami waves expected,&#8221; the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management said on X.
An evacuation order for the small town of Severo-Kurilsk, south of the Kamchatka peninsula, was declared due to the tsunami threat, Sakhalin Governor Valery Limarenko said on Telegram.
Several people sought medical assistance following the quake, Oleg Melnikov, regional health minister told Russia’s TASS state news agency.
&#8220;Unfortunately, there are some people injured during the seismic event. Some were hurt while running outside, and one patient jumped out of a window. A woman was also injured inside the new airport terminal,” Melnikov said.
“All patients are currently in satisfactory condition, and no serious injuries have been reported so far.”
The Kamchatka branch of the Geophysical Service of the Russian Academy of Sciences said it was a very powerful earthquake.
&#8220;However, due to certain characteristics of the epicentre, the shaking intensity was not as high &#8230; as one might expect from such a magnitude,&#8221; it said in a video on Telegram.
“Aftershocks are currently ongoing &#8230; Their intensity will remain fairly high. However, stronger tremors are not expected in the near future. The situation is under control.”
Kamchatka and Russia&#8217;s Far East sit on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a geologically active region that is prone to major earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
(Reporting by Anusha Shah Nilutpal Timsina and Mrinmay Dey in Bengaluru, Lidia Kelly in Melbourne and Satoshi Sugiyama in Tokyo; Writing by Lincoln Feast; Editing by Stephen Coates)

Hawaii tsunami evacuation area sign

Powerful Quake Causes Tsunami, Endangering U.S., Russia, And Japan

Alaska

Hawaii

Japan

Russia

The Steve Miller Band recently announced that the rest of their tour is being canceled due to extreme weather events that have been happening around the country.
The band had 31 scheduled upcoming dates beginning August 15 in Bethel, New York, and concluding in Anaheim, California, in November. But now fans won’t have the chance to see the “Jet Airliner” recording artists in any of those cities.
“Dear Steve Miller Band fans,” the statement shared to social media says. “You make music with your instincts. You live life by your instincts. Always trust your instincts…”
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<a href="https://t.co/9PcUoQzDK9">pic.twitter.com/9PcUoQzDK9</a>
&mdash; Steve Miller Band (@SMBofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/SMBofficial/status/1945635867055313343?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
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“The Steve Miller Band has cancelled all of our upcoming tour dates,” it says. “The combination of extreme heat, unpredictable flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes and massive forest fires make these risks for you our audience, the band and the crew unacceptable. So …You can blame it on the weather… The tour is cancelled.”
The statement concludes, “Don’t know where, don’t know when… We hope to see you all again. Wishing you all peace, love and happiness. Please take care of each other.”
Many fans shot back on social media, saying the cancellation of the whole tour seemed extreme. Some followers posted images of available seats for some of the tour stops, suggesting that it was because of low ticket sales.
“Are you serious? I’m a big fan and got tickets for this tour , but next time please find a [better] excuse,” one person <a href="https://x.com/marchenajr/status/1945662577012363533">wrote</a>.
“I am embarrassed FOR you…” another said.
“You’re canceling all tours …….. because of nature? That is matter-of-fact dumb,” a third <a href="https://x.com/NathanMirlywx/status/1945638489690722554">wrote</a>.
“Our ticket sales aren&#8217;t exactly buoyant, but at least we can get a little virtue signaling in,” another <a href="https://x.com/GlennisWil24642/status/1945818670426378677">said</a>.

Steve Miller Band

Steve Miller Band Cancels 31 Future Tour Dates: ‘Blame It On The Weather’

Steve Miller Band Cancels 31 Future Tour Dates: 'Blame It On The Weather'

Entertainment

Music

Weather

Texas-based country singer Pat Green said his stepbrother and other family members were among the victims of the deadly flooding that occurred over the Fourth of July holiday.
“Over the weekend, during the devastating flooding that hit Central Texas, my family — like so many others — suffered a heartbreaking and deeply personal loss,” the recording artist shared on his Instagram account. “We are grieving alongside countless Texans whose lives have been upended by this tragedy.”
The post continued, “Right now, we kindly ask for privacy and space as we mourn, support each other, and begin to process what comes next for our family. Thank you for your love, prayers, and compassion,” he concluded.
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Green’s younger stepbrother, John Burgess, 39, is one of the confirmed victims, per local outlet <a href="https://www.kwtx.com/2025/07/05/china-spring-native-family-among-those-missing-amid-deadly-flooding-texas-hill-country/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KWTX</a>. According to KHOU, his wife, Julia Anderson Burgess, 39, also died. Their two sons, James and Jack, were still missing as of Monday. The deceased couple lived in Liberty, Texas, but were camping at the Blue Oak RV Park in Kerr County with their boys when the flooding occurred. Their 8-year-old daughter was reportedly at a camp that was not affected by the flooding and is safe.
According to a <a href="https://nypost.com/2025/07/07/us-news/texas-dad-refused-to-let-go-of-his-babies-during-flood-and-all-were-swept-away-witness-says/">report</a> from the New York Post, a bystander at the RV park pleaded with Burgess to hand over his children to safety, but he would not let them go.
“My husband was in the water trying to ask them, ‘Please throw me your baby!’ The man was holding tight to his babies, and he just got swept away,” Lorena Guillen, owner of the Blue Oak RV Park, said. 
As of Wednesday, at least 173 people are still missing, including 161 unaccounted for from Kerr County, the hardest-hit area. The death toll from the flooding across the state reached 119 on Wednesday, including dozens of children. Five young girls and one counselor remain missing from Camp Mystic, the Christian girls’ camp that took the brunt of the flooding when the Guadalupe River in Central Texas rose more than 30 feet in under an hour in some spots.
Green has been in the music industry since 1995, recording seven total studio albums. His single, &#8220;Wave on Wave,&#8221; from his gold-certified album of the same name, reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 2003. It was featured during campaign rallies for George W. Bush during his 2004 re-election campaign.

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