The death toll from two back-to-back powerful earthquakes that hit Venezuela earlier this week climbed to 1,430 on Saturday, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez also confirmed that
the number of injured reached 3,238 following Wednesday’s powerful earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, AFP reported. Meanwhile, rescue teams continued to search for survivors on Day 4.
The twin tremors were the strongest to strike the oil-rich country since 1900, with the region’s last major earthquake having occurred in 1997. Thousands of people are still missing.
1,600 Foreign Rescuers Assist In Locating Survivors
Further, Venezuela’s government on Saturday said that more than 1,600 foreign rescue personnel had arrived in the country to assist in locating survivors. Authorities also tightened access to the hardest-hit state of La Guaira, Reuters reported.
Residents and volunteers in La Guaira, a coastal destination where at least 100 buildings, including several residential high-rises, were destroyed or damaged, have complained for days about a shortage of heavy machinery and a limited government presence as they continue searching through debris for survivors and victims.
In an overnight address on state television, interim President Delcy Rodriguez said rescue efforts would soon be reinforced by teams from 10 additional countries. She added that 14,000 military and police personnel had been deployed in La Guaira to maintain security and carry out sanitary measures.
“In recent hours, Venezuela has received 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 members of rescue teams, and over the next 24 hours, the arrival of 25 additional flights is expected,” foreign ministry official Oliver Blanco said.
“We thank the international community for its support and solidarity during these moments of uncertainty for Venezuelans,” Blanco added on X on Saturday.
UN Warns 7 Million People Could Be Affected
The US Geological Survey estimated that the twin earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 could result in more than 10,000 deaths, potentially making them among the deadliest seismic disasters in recent history. The United Nations said nearly 7 million people may be affected due to the disaster, with direct economic losses projected at around $6.7 billion.
