Venezuela Earthquake

Author: Gist Correspondent

The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 920, with authorities warning that the number is expected to increase as rescue teams continue searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

Government officials said more than 3,360 people have sustained injuries, while hundreds remain missing following the powerful earthquakes that rocked the country on Wednesday. The second tremor, measuring 7.5 in magnitude, ranks among the strongest to hit Venezuela in over a century.

The northern state of La Guaira has suffered the worst destruction, with homes, hospitals, shopping centres and other critical infrastructure reduced to rubble. Authorities disclosed that at least 172 people are still believed to be trapped, while over 240 survivors have been rescued alive in the region.

International rescue operations have gathered pace, with specialist teams from the United Kingdom, United States, Mexico, the Netherlands, Switzerland and several other countries arriving in Venezuela alongside humanitarian aid and search equipment. Military personnel have also begun distributing relief materials to affected communities.

Health facilities across the disaster zone are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. Medical workers say shortages of medicines and essential supplies, worsened by years of economic hardship, have severely limited emergency response efforts.

Officials said more than 200 aftershocks have rattled the country's northern coastline since the disaster. The United Nations has called for a coordinated global humanitarian response, while authorities continue to urge hope as rescue workers race against time to locate more survivors beneath the rubble.