Pope Leo XIV has authorised an initial emergency donation of €100,000 from the Apostolic Almoner’s Office to support the victims of two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening.

The aid is being coordinated directly with the apostolic nuncio to Venezuela, Archbishop Alberto Ortega Martín, and the Archbishop of Caracas, Raúl Biord Castillo. The Holy See has stressed that this represents only the first step in a response that will adapt to the evolving needs identified by the local Church.

The earthquakes, registering 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused widespread devastation, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, north of the capital. As of Thursday, at least 164 people had been confirmed dead, with nearly 1,000 injured, and the toll was expected to climb significantly as rescuers continued digging through collapsed buildings. More than 20 aftershocks have rattled the region, with tremors felt as far away as Colombia.

Caracas’s Simón Bolívar International Airport remains closed while structural assessments are carried out on critical infrastructure. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez has declared a national state of disaster, describing La Guaira as a “disaster zone”. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello has urged residents to remain outdoors and avoid damaged structures.

The human cost is mounting in a country already strained by years of economic hardship and political tension. Rescue teams are racing against time in scores of collapsed buildings, hoping to find survivors beneath the rubble.

The human impact is particularly severe in densely populated coastal and urban areas. Local media reports describe scenes of families searching for loved ones trapped beneath rubble, while emergency services struggle to reach some of the hardest-hit neighbourhoods.

The destruction has also affected Church infrastructure. Caracas Cathedral and several parish churches have sustained structural damage, as have seminaries and other ecclesiastical buildings.

Despite these setbacks, Catholic communities across Venezuela have responded rapidly, opening parish halls as temporary shelters and mobilising Caritas networks for practical aid. Parish buildings have been opened to shelter displaced families, and local Caritas networks are organising emergency distributions of food, water and medical supplies. On the ground, priests and lay volunteers continue to offer pastoral care and material assistance to those who have lost homes and loved ones.

The Pope’s own contribution is a gesture of paternal concern for the victims: a rapid humanitarian response coordinated through the local episcopate. Vatican sources indicate that further assistance will be calibrated according to detailed assessments from the ground, ensuring that aid reaches the most vulnerable in a targeted and effective manner.

Venezuela’s bishops have appealed for prayers and international solidarity as the country confronts this new crisis. The earthquakes come at a particularly difficult moment for a nation that has seen millions of its citizens emigrate in recent years amid economic and social challenges, and – more recently – war. The disaster has compounded existing vulnerabilities, especially in poorer and coastal communities where infrastructure was already under strain.

International rescue teams from across the Americas and beyond are arriving to support local efforts. Engineers are assessing the stability of buildings and key infrastructure as the search for survivors continues. The full scale of the destruction – and the long-term rebuilding needs – is still emerging.

Pope Leo XIV is following the situation closely, and his swift decision to release funds through the Apostolic Almoner underscores a commitment to concrete charity in moments of national tragedy. As rescue and recovery operations proceed, Catholic organisations worldwide are monitoring developments and preparing additional support.