Two massive earthquakes, seconds apart from each other, struck Venezuela on June 24, killing thousands of people and leaving behind tons of collapsed infrastructure and disaster. While the country finds itself in tatters in these challenging and unprecedented times, Argentine superstar and World Cup winner Lionel Messi has sent a heartfelt message for those who have suffered from this catastrophe. Shortly after Argentina’s close win over World Cup 2026 debutants Cape Verde, in their Round of 32 fixture, Messi sent out a message for the countless Venezuelans.&nbsp;“I want to send a very big love message to all the people in Venezuela. We know the terrible disgrace they’re currently living, and I want - we want to send our maximum support”. &nbsp;“I want to send support to all those people that are suffering a lot, those people that can’t find their loved ones and have a lot of uncertainty of not knowing what will happen in their lives”. &nbsp;“Much strength to all Venezuelan people from here,” Messi said of Venezuela.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Leo Messi’s beautiful message to Venezuela. ❤️‍🩹 <a href="https://t.co/Ks7HUUYN92">pic.twitter.com/Ks7HUUYN92</a>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2073284172634824741?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Also read| <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/j-rgen-klopp-recharged-and-ready-for-talks-to-become-germany-manager-julian-nagelsmann-1783161957641">Jürgen Klopp 'recharged and ready' for talks to become Germany manager</a> &nbsp;Not only Messi but also his greatest rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, took a step forward in inviting a Venezuelan boy, who lost everything after the earthquake reduced all buildings to rubble, to watch one of his games in a personal video message posted on social media. &nbsp;"I want you to attend one of my games!" Ronaldo said to the boy after watching his video.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cristiano Ronaldo saw the message of the Venezuelan boy who lost everything after the earthquake and he took action ❤️‍🩹🙏🏼 In addition to sending him words of encouragement, he invited Andrés to meet him: “I want you to attend one of my games!”. Sending strenght and all best… <a href="https://t.co/QvBbDMXc4e">pic.twitter.com/QvBbDMXc4e</a>&mdash; Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) <a href="https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/status/2073129511411941822?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h3>Messi's Historic World Cup Run Continues</h3>Lionel Messi was back scoring goals at the showpiece event in North America. After completing six goals in the group stage, including his maiden World Cup hat-trick in Argentina’s opener against Algeria, Messi scored one against Cape Verde. That one goal, however, was enough to break multiple records.

Watch FIFA World Cup 2026 live on Zee5

Messi’s first-half strike saw him become the first-ever player to score in eight successive World Cup games, breach the 20-goal mark at the competition and complete seven goals in back-to-back editions. &nbsp;Messi also contributed with an assist during the extra time, adding one more to his G/A contribution at FIFA World Cups. He was the standout player for his team against Cape Verde, winning the Player of the Match award.&nbsp; &nbsp;Argentina will next face Egypt on Tuesday (Jul 7) in Atlanta for a place in the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarterfinals.&nbsp;

Following a deadly earthquake in Venezuela, Lionel Messi sends a heartfelt message of support amidst his record-breaking World Cup run in the USA.

Two massive earthquakes, seconds apart from each other, struck Venezuela on June 24, killing thousands of people and leaving behind tons of collapsed infrastructure and disaster. While the country finds itself in tatters in these challenging and unprecedented times, Argentine superstar and World Cup winner Lionel Messi has sent a heartfelt message for those who have suffered from this catastrophe. Shortly after Argentina’s close win over World Cup 2026 debutants Cape Verde, in their Round of 32 fixture, Messi sent out a message for the countless Venezuelans. “I want to send a very big love message to all the people in Venezuela. We know the terrible disgrace they’re currently living, and I want - we want to send our maximum support”. “I want to send support to all those people that are suffering a lot, those people that can’t find their loved ones and have a lot of uncertainty of not knowing what will happen in their lives”. “Much strength to all Venezuelan people from here,” Messi said of Venezuela.

Following a deadly earthquake in Venezuela, Lionel Messi sends a heartfelt message of support amidst his record-breaking World Cup run in the USA.

Venezuela Earthquake: Lionel Messi shares heartfelt message after toll nears 3,000

The death toll from the deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 2,595, and thousands still remain missing, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday (Jul 2). On June 24, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within a minute of each other, resulting in widespread destruction and flattening neighbourhoods. Rescuers continue operations as hopes of finding any survivors fade.&nbsp;In a press conference, Rodriguez said that there were no plans for mass graves for those killed in the disaster. She also defended her government’s response to dispatch military and civilian officials.“In the first 24 hours, it reached 4,000 personnel, and within 48 hours there were 11,000 officials,” she told reporters.<h2>Man rescued after eight days</h2>In a miraculous incident, a 43-year-old man was pulled out alive from the debris of a collapsed building after being trapped for eight days. Hernan Gil was carefully lifted out on a stretcher after emergency responders spent hours navigating the wreckage of the collapsed seven-storey building where he had been working as a security guard in Catia La Mar, one of the coastal communities worst affected by the June 24 disaster.“This is truly a miracle,” Gil’s wife Gusbimar Gonzalez told AFP as rescuers worked to free him.<h2>Thousands missing</h2>The government did not provide an exact number of those missing; however, UN estimates indicate as many as 50,000 are still unaccounted for. According to data from NASA, almost 60,000 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed. Officials said that about 13,000 people have been left homeless, with many of them sleeping in tents on the streets, parks, and vacant lots.Most of the collapsed buildings in the hardest-hit city of La Guaira, just north of Caracas, have been marked with ‘D’ for ‘deceased’ to signal it had been searched and no signs of life were found. Rescuers, volunteers, and relatives have now been largely focusing on retrieving the dead from the rubble.

Venezuela's twin earthquakes have killed 2,595 people, with thousands still missing. Rescue teams continue searching for survivors, while the government says there are no plans for mass graves.

The death toll from the deadly twin earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 2,595, and thousands still remain missing, Interim President Delcy Rodriguez said on Thursday (Jul 2). On June 24, magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck within a minute of each other, resulting in widespread destruction and flattening neighbourhoods. Rescuers continue operations as hopes of finding any survivors fade. In a press conference, Rodriguez said that there were no plans for mass graves for those killed in the disaster. She also defended her government’s response to dispatch military and civilian officials. “In the first 24 hours, it reached 4,000 personnel, and within 48 hours there were 11,000 officials,” she told reporters. Man rescued after eight days In a miraculous incident, a 43-year-old man was pulled out alive from the debris of a collapsed building after being trapped for eight days. Hernan Gil was carefully lifted out on a stretcher after emergency responders spent hours navigating the wreckage of the collapsed seven-storey building where he had been working as a security guard in Catia La Mar, one of the coastal communities worst affected by the June 24 disaster. “This is truly a miracle,” Gil’s wife Gusbimar Gonzalez told AFP as rescuers worked to free him. Thousands missing The government did not provide an exact number of those missing; however, UN estimates indicate as many as 50,000 are still unaccounted for. According to data from NASA, almost 60,000 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed. Officials said that about 13,000 people have been left homeless, with many of them sleeping in tents on the streets, parks, and vacant lots. Most of the collapsed buildings in the hardest-hit city of La Guaira, just north of Caracas, have been marked with ‘D’ for ‘deceased’ to signal it had been searched and no signs of life were found. Rescuers, volunteers, and relatives have now been largely focusing on retrieving the dead from the rubble.

Venezuela's twin earthquakes have killed 2,595 people, with thousands still missing. Rescue teams continue searching for survivors, while the government says there are no plans for mass graves.

Venezuela earthquake: Death toll rises to nearly 2,600, thousands still missing

Rescue teams pulled a man alive from the rubble of a collapsed nine-story building in Venezuela on Thursday, eight days after powerful earthquakes devastated the country, offering a rare moment of hope amid the ongoing disaster.&nbsp;Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, a 43-year-old security guard, was trapped beneath nearly 29 feet of debris after the parking structure of a shopping mall collapsed in La Guaira. Local and international rescue teams carried out a carefully coordinated operation over several days before bringing him to safety.&nbsp;Gil has emerged as a symbol of hope for a country mourning one of the deadliest earthquakes in Latin American history.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🇻🇪 Man rescued eight days after Venezuela quakes An international rescue team have pulled a survivor of Venezuela&#39;s twin earthquakes from the rubble, after surviving eight days underground. Hernan Gil, a 43-year-old security guard, had been buried in the booth of the seven-story… <a href="https://t.co/daK4lPGu2Q">pic.twitter.com/daK4lPGu2Q</a>&mdash; AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://x.com/AFP/status/2072684481442423141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

A video shared by the Chile Fire Department captured the moment rescuers first spotted Gil using a search camera that was lowered into the collapsed basement on Wednesday.The footage showed his fingers moving through a narrow gap between layers of concrete and debris, confirming he was still alive.&nbsp;The Chile Fire Department described the rescue operation as "highly complex" because the damaged building remained unstable and rescue workers had to deal with falling debris throughout the mission.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">𝗥𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗘 | El equipo USAR Bomberos de Chile (BoCH) continúa las labores de rescate de Hernán, venezolano que se encuentra atrapado con vida en un edificio derrumbado. El rescate está siendo liderado por el equipo chileno, que ha estado trabajando con equipos USAR de… <a href="https://t.co/qKmTbtiAFG">pic.twitter.com/qKmTbtiAFG</a>&mdash; Bomberos de Chile (@BomberosdeChile) <a href="https://x.com/BomberosdeChile/status/2072494796015350269?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<h2>Search continues as thousands remain missing</h2>While Gil's rescue brought a rare success, emergency teams continue searching for survivors across the affected areas. The United Nations estimates that around 50,000 people are still missing.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez declared seven days of national mourning after last week's twin earthquakes killed at least 3,000 people, injured more than 11,000 and left thousands of others unaccounted for.&nbsp;The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, destroyed entire neighbourhoods in oil-rich Venezuela, where years of economic crisis had already weakened infrastructure and healthcare services. The disaster struck while the country remained in a fragile political transition, six months after the United States ousted leader Nicolas Maduro.&nbsp;The World Food Programme has appealed for $50 million to provide food assistance to about 500,000 people in Venezuela over the next three months.

Gil has become a symbol of hope in a nation devastated by one of Latin America's deadliest earthquakes, which killed at least 3,000 people, injured more than 11,000 and left thousands of others unaccounted for.

Rescue teams pulled a man alive from the rubble of a collapsed nine-story building in Venezuela on Thursday, eight days after powerful earthquakes devastated the country, offering a rare moment of hope amid the ongoing disaster. Hernán Alberto Gil Flores, a 43-year-old security guard, was trapped beneath nearly 29 feet of debris after the parking structure of a shopping mall collapsed in La Guaira. Local and international rescue teams carried out a carefully coordinated operation over several days before bringing him to safety. Gil has emerged as a symbol of hope for a country mourning one of the deadliest earthquakes in Latin American history.

Gil has become a symbol of hope in a nation devastated by one of Latin America's deadliest earthquakes, which killed at least 3,000 people, injured more than 11,000 and left thousands of others unaccounted for.

Watch | Venezuela earthquake survivor rescued alive from rubble after eight days

Lines for humanitarian aid in Venezuela's La Guaira grow longer daily as survivors of two devastating earthquakes have nowhere else to go. Last week's twin tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, killed nearly 2,000 people and affected more than 15,000 others, leading authorities to declare the state a "disaster zone." With food and water becoming increasingly scarce in local markets, ordinary citizens and volunteers have stepped in to help.&nbsp;Donations from across the nation are arriving via private vehicles distributing food, water, soap, and toilet paper, alongside trucks from the NGO World Central Kitchen. For displaced residents like 24-year-old Nataly Cardona, who is currently living on the street, this assistance is vital. Survivors like Raoni Izaguirre spend hours waiting in lines under the sun for indispensable donations. Meanwhile, fortunate residents are actively supporting neighbours; Aysmar Lopez, for instance, cooks and delivers meals to several shelters.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/venezuela-earthquake-drone-footage-shows-extent-of-damage-caused-by-twin-quakes-1782715503030">Venezuela earthquake: Drone footage shows extent of damage caused by twin quakes</a>&nbsp;Medical professionals and veterinarians have also descended on the coastal city to provide care. The “Pink Brigade” medical specialists and students, including 30-year-old physician Kerlis Artigas, travelled from another state to treat injuries and donate medication. International aid teams are working in tandem alongside doctors from Italy, Mexico, and El Salvador. They operate out of mobile facilities at an improvised shelter on a golf course. They frequently treat high blood pressure, dehydration, fever, nervous breakdowns, and respiratory issues.&nbsp;As the calamity struck, veterinarians brought food, medicine, and IV fluids for dehydrated or injured pets. They also established a communication network to reunite rescued cats and dogs with their owners.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/satellite-images-reveal-scale-of-venezuela-earthquake-devastation-nearly-59-000-buildings-damaged-nasa-releases-data-1782813776609">Satellite images reveal scale of Venezuela earthquake devastation; nearly 59,000 buildings damaged - NASA releases data</a>&nbsp;Despite official assistance points being set up throughout the battered streets, survivors express a strong preference for volunteers and foreign aid over their own government. "The people helping us here are those who come from outside," resident Tibisay Mendez told news agency AFP. She added that deployed police and officials mostly stand around taking photos and making TikToks.&nbsp;Izaguirre echoed this sentiment, calling the government's inaction unjustifiable. He noted that instead of utilising state resources to help, authorities simply sit back and wait for foreign nations to provide the critical support the community desperately needs.

As aid lines grow in Venezuela's disaster zone of La Guaira, quake survivors rely on volunteers and NGOs for survival. Read the ground report.

Lines for humanitarian aid in Venezuela's La Guaira grow longer daily as survivors of two devastating earthquakes have nowhere else to go. Last week's twin tremors, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, killed nearly 2,000 people and affected more than 15,000 others, leading authorities to declare the state a "disaster zone." With food and water becoming increasingly scarce in local markets, ordinary citizens and volunteers have stepped in to help. Donations from across the nation are arriving via private vehicles distributing food, water, soap, and toilet paper, alongside trucks from the NGO World Central Kitchen. For displaced residents like 24-year-old Nataly Cardona, who is currently living on the street, this assistance is vital. Survivors like Raoni Izaguirre spend hours waiting in lines under the sun for indispensable donations. Meanwhile, fortunate residents are actively supporting neighbours; Aysmar Lopez, for instance, cooks and delivers meals to several shelters. Also read: Venezuela earthquake: Drone footage shows extent of damage caused by twin quakes Medical professionals and veterinarians have also descended on the coastal city to provide care. The “Pink Brigade” medical specialists and students, including 30-year-old physician Kerlis Artigas, travelled from another state to treat injuries and donate medication. International aid teams are working in tandem alongside doctors from Italy, Mexico, and El Salvador. They operate out of mobile facilities at an improvised shelter on a golf course. They frequently treat high blood pressure, dehydration, fever, nervous breakdowns, and respiratory issues. As the calamity struck, veterinarians brought food, medicine, and IV fluids for dehydrated or injured pets. They also established a communication network to reunite rescued cats and dogs with their owners. Also read: Satellite images reveal scale of Venezuela earthquake devastation; nearly 59,000 buildings damaged - NASA releases data Despite official assistance points being set up throughout the battered streets, survivors express a strong preference for volunteers and foreign aid over their own government. "The people helping us here are those who come from outside," resident Tibisay Mendez told news agency AFP. She added that deployed police and officials mostly stand around taking photos and making TikToks. Izaguirre echoed this sentiment, calling the government's inaction unjustifiable. He noted that instead of utilising state resources to help, authorities simply sit back and wait for foreign nations to provide the critical support the community desperately needs.

As aid lines grow in Venezuela's disaster zone of La Guaira, quake survivors rely on volunteers and NGOs for survival. Read the ground report.

Desperation and dignity: In quake-ravaged Venezuela, survivors lean on the kindness of strangers