The death toll from Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes has risen to 235, with around 200 people still feared trapped as rescue teams battle aftershocks and damaged infrastructure.
Twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 struck western Venezuela within a minute, prompting emergency response efforts and raising fears of widespread casualties and damage. | Reuters via ANI
The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to at least 235, as emergency teams continue searching for survivors believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings across the country’s central coast and the capital, Caracas.
Authorities said the situation remains critical, with around 200 people still believed to be buried under debris. Rescue operations are continuing in severely affected areas, where damaged infrastructure and repeated aftershocks have complicated access.
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Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said officials were “racing against time” to rescue as many survivors as possible. “We are racing against time in the hope of rescuing as many people as possible,” he said.
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The two earthquakes struck on Wednesday, just 40 seconds apart. They measured magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 and occurred at a shallow depth of 10 km, causing severe destruction near the surface.
Officials said the epicentres were located close to Caracas, one of Venezuela’s most densely populated regions. The proximity intensified the impact, triggering widespread building collapses, power outages and communication disruptions.
Rodriguez also unveiled a series of emergency measures to support rescue and recovery efforts in the country’s northern regions.
The government has ordered the mobilisation of debris-removal equipment from private companies, announced a $200 million assistance fund, and approved special credit facilities for affected businesses.
Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said Venezuela has begun coordinating international assistance after several countries offered support following the disaster.
According to officials, at least a dozen countries from the region and beyond have expressed solidarity and extended offers of assistance.
Experts noted that Venezuela has not experienced an earthquake of this scale in around five decades. They also warned that years of underinvestment in infrastructure have increased the vulnerability of older buildings to major seismic events.
The earthquakes were described as the strongest to hit the country in more than a century and the deadliest in decades, according to Xinhua news agency.
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