Twin earthquakes strike Venezuela, killing dozens and triggering widespread damage

A magnitude 7.2 earthquake ripped through western Venezuela and was followed less than a minute later by a magnitude 7.5 shock near Morón, collapsing buildings in Caracas and surrounding areas and leaving at least 164 people dead and 971 injured. Venezuela declared a state of emergency as rescue teams dug through rubble and aftershocks continued to rattle the capital and nearby cities.

The stronger quake struck 16 km southwest of Morón at a depth of 10.0 km. The U.S. Geological Survey's PAGER alert was pending. The twin jolts hit so close together that they damaged homes, roads and public facilities across a broad stretch of the country, with damage in Caracas and La Guaira as well as communities closer to the epicenter.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez declared the emergency after nearly two dozen aftershocks. The initial toll, which stood at at least 32 dead and 700 injured, climbed sharply as crews reached damaged neighborhoods and pulled more people from collapsed structures. The numbers could rise further as searches continued into the night.

Drug shortages have hit oncology for more than a decade. They burden patients, caregivers and providers while delaying clinical trials and slowing progress on new cancer therapies.

Shortages can stem from manufacturing and quality problems, delays and discontinuations. Ifosfamide injection products are on back order or limited allocation on the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists shortage list, with some estimated resupply dates in mid-July and mid-August 2026. During the 2023 cisplatin and carboplatin shortage, hospitals used rationing-style allocation models, steering remaining stock toward curative-intent patients and shifting some others to more expensive alternatives such as cetuximab.