Powerful earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela have killed at least 589 people and injured nearly 3,000, with the death toll expected to rise as rescue crews continue searching for survivors.
Acting President Delcy Rodriguez said the hardest-hit area is La Guaira, where emergency crews are working to rescue people trapped under collapsed buildings and deliver food and water. Thousands of people are still missing.
Across the region, residents joined rescue efforts, digging through rubble with their hands as they searched for family members and neighbours. Many people spent the night outside in parks and open spaces because they feared more buildings could collapse.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that up to 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including about two million people in Caracas.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck Wednesday evening near Venezuela’s Caribbean coast. Experts said the shallow depth of the quakes and the back-to-back shaking made the damage even worse.
Rodriguez declared a state of emergency and announced a US$200 million fund to help rebuild homes and hospitals. Rescue teams from more than 25 countries, including the United States, Canada, Spain, Germany, Mexico, Chile, Switzerland, Turkey, China and the Dominican Republic, have arrived or are on their way to assist with search-and-rescue efforts.
