Venezuela earthquakes live updates: Death toll rises to at least 589, with thousands injured, acting president says

 

At least 589 people were killed and more than 2,900 were injured as a pair of powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, officials said on Friday.

The two quakes -- a 7.2 magnitude one followed just seconds later by a 7.5 -- struck the coast of Venezuela, knocking down buildings in Caracas, the capital, and sending residents racing into the street.

Responders are undertaking "intensive rescue operations" on Thursday, searching for people thought to be under the rubble, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said.

Key HeadlinesAt least 589 dead, 2,980 injured in dual quakes, acting president says

At least 589 people were killed and another 2,980 were injured in the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela late on Wednesday, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said in an update on Friday, according to state media.

According to the EFE news agency, at least 18 foreign nationals were among those who were killed in the quakes. The victims reportedly included nine people from Portugal, three from Spain, two from Brazil, two from China and two from Chile.

The country's health minister told state media late on Thursday that at least 4,300 people were injured. It was not immediately clear why the figure Rodriguez gave on Friday was lower.

-ABC News' Jamie Dorrington, Herminia Fernandez and Kevin Shalvey

Death toll rises to at least 235 with at least 4,300 injured: Health minister

The death toll from the pair of powerful earthquakes that rocked Venezuela on Wednesday has risen to at least 235, according to the country's health minister, who spoke on state media.

At least 4,300 people were injured, according to the latest figures provided by the official.

Death toll rises to at least 235 with at least 4,300 injured: Health minister

The death toll from the pair of powerful earthquakes that rocked Venezuela on Wednesday has risen to at least 235, according to the country's health minister, who spoke on state media.

At least 4,300 people were injured, according to the latest figures provided by the official.

US 'surging' military assets to assist in Venezuela

U.S. Southern Command said it is "surging" military forces in the region to assist in earthquake relief efforts.

Two U.S. Navy ships and aircraft in the Caribbean have been assigned to support the U.S. quake relief operations in Venezuela that are being led by the State Department, the command said.

The amphibious ships USS Fort Lauderdale and the littoral combat ships USS Billings are being moved closer to Venezuela to provide assistance.

US Park Police seek to ID person in Reflecting Pool vandalism investigation

 U.S. Park Police are seeking assistance in identifying a person wanted in connection to a "destruction of government property" investigation related to the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

Park Police posted on social media Wednesday a video of the alleged incident that shows a person reaching into the Reflecting Pool and appearing to pull something from the water. The video is somewhat blurry and shot from a distance. ABC News has reached out to National Park Service and Park Police about the source of the video.

The incident allegedly occurred at 3:36 p.m. ET on Friday, June 19. Park Police said anyone with information on the identity of the individual should contact their tip line.

The bulletin comes as President Donald Trump continues to blame vandals for alleged damage at the Reflecting Pool after his administration's $16 million renovation.

The White House has yet to provide evidence that shows the alleged vandalism to the

"The Reflecting Pool that you've heard so much about, which is so incredible, it's been gruesomely vandalized by thugs, bad people, but soon will be looking as beautiful as it looked just two weeks ago," Trump said on Wednesday night as he kicked off Freedom 250’s Great American State Fair with remarks on the National Mall.

"In fact, I looked at it just a little while ago, it looks perfect already," the president continued. "But we’re fixing it. The vandals got to it, they’ve largely been caught and are being prosecuted. We can't let that happen to our country."

The Interior Department and the U.S. Park Police, though a spokesperson earlier this week, confirmed there had been several arrests and federal citations for alleged vandalism. Trump said on Tuesday that six people had been arrested.

Trump also said earlier this week that the Reflecting Pool will be drained again for "permanent repair" around the Fourth of July.

Judge again directs DOJ to address whether 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' is dead

 Judge again directs DOJ to address whether 'Anti-Weaponization Fund' is dead

A federal judge is again directing the Justice Department to formally address whether the Trump administration's "Anti-Weaponization Fund" is dead, as the agency has claimed.

The order, filed Wednesday by District Judge Leonie Brinkema, comes after the Justice Department refused to issue a signed declaration verifying the $1.8 billion fund was not moving forward.

In her order, Brinkema said she is not satisfied with the DOJ's contention that Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's recent testimony before Congress is proof enough that the fund is dead."That the defendants have refused to accord a genuine degree of trustworthiness to their representations about the Fund not going forward is particularly concerning because of the President's consistent support for the Fund and Acting Attorney General Blanche's acknowledgement that the Fund remains 'important,'" Brinkema wrote. 

She is demanding that the DOJ file papers issuing another response in the coming weeks and hinted in her order that Blanche may have to answer questions about his plans for the fund in a deposition. 

The $1.776 billion fund was announced in May by the Justice Department to compensate those who allege they were wrongly targeted under the Biden administration.

It was proposed in exchange for President Donald Trump agreeing to drop his $10 billion lawsuit against the IRS as well as two civil claims for $230 million related to the Russia collusion investigation he faced during his first term in office and the 2022 search of his Mar-a-Lago estate -- sparking accusations of self-dealing and a bipartisan uproar over the possible use of taxpayer money to pay rioters who attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

Venezuela earthquakes live updates: US sending search and rescue teams, Rubio says

 Dozens of people were killed and hundreds of others were injured as a pair of powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday evening, acting President Delcy Rodriguez said in a televised address.

The two quakes -- a 7.2 magnitude one followed just seconds later by a 7.5 -- struck the coast of Venezuela, knocking down buildings in Caracas, the capital, and sending residents racing into the street.

Emergency responders were undertaking "intensive rescue operations" early on Thursday, searching for people thought to be under the rubble, Rodriguez said.

Quakes may become most devastating in Venezuela's modern history

The two powerful earthquakes may become the most devastating in Venezuela's modern history.Venezuela sits along the Caribbean plate. It is not part of the infamous Ring of Fire that snakes around the Pacific Ocean, where earthquakes -- especially of higher magnitude -- are relatively common.

An earthquake of this high a magnitude causes so much damage in a place like Venezuela because Venezuela’s infrastructure is not as prepared as countries along the Ring of Fire, like Japan.

US Southern Command to support government relief operation

The U.S. Southern Command said it is working with the State Department to support a U.S. government relief operation in Venezuela.

“Our joint forces are moving quickly to bring the unmatched airlift, logistics, and lifesaving capabilities of the U.S. military to help save lives and support the Government of Venezuela during this crisis,” a SOUTHCOM statement said.

 

Trump says Reflecting Pool repairs will begin 'immediately' after vandalism arrests

President Donald Trump said Sunday that work would begin "immediately" to repair the peeling lining at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, as an administration official confirmed that at least five people have been arrested on vandalism charges related to the pool. 

"Work will begin immediately on fixing the seriously vandalized Reflecting Pool," Trump said in a post on Truth Social, claiming to have just inspected it himself.

Trump said that he "could only say to myself, and those gathered around me, WOW, who would do such a thing? SICK, DERANGED PEOPLE," adding, "we will fix it."An administration official said on Sunday that as of Saturday night, five individuals had been arrested for vandalism, and five others had been issued citations.

The Reflecting Pool has been plagued with algae and peeling paint in the days since the Trump administration completed the renovation, which cost more than $16 million, and was $4 million more than the estimated cost. On Saturday, Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social that the painted surface of the Reflecting Pool had been sabotaged with chemicals. 

In a follow-up social media post, Trump said the Reflecting Pool would likely need to be partially drained to repair the peeling lining, which he once again claimed, without evidence, was damaged by intentional sabotage.

"We met with contractors today, will probably be forced to release and drain much of the water in order to do the necessary repairs, but will have them done as quickly as possible," Trump said of the pool's condition. 

Atlantic Industry Coatings, which completed the $14.5 million job to install the lining, confirmed in a statement on Sunday that the Reflecting Pool would need to be drained to complete repairs and work would be covered under the project warranty. In his post, Trump referenced the giant "86 47" marked in grass on the National Mall and claimed that "corrosive and destructive chemicals" were poured into the pool by vandals, causing the lining to peel.

The president also alleged that someone "took some form of knife or blade, and put a 250 foot long gash into the beautiful facade of what took so much work, competence, and money to build and complete."

It was not clear if he was referring to the lining of the Reflecting Pool, or to damage to another monument. What these terrible Vandals have done is a true affront to both Presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, and should be dealt with accordingly," Trump said. 

The U.S. Park Police did not immediately respond to ABC News to questions about any of the arrests referenced by Trump in his post.