Key facts
- More than 68,000 people are missing in Venezuela following two earthquakes.
- The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, occurred earlier this week.
- At least 1,430 people have died and 3,238 have been injured.
- International aid, including supplies and personnel, is being sent to Venezuela.
- The estimated direct physical damage from the quakes is $6.7 billion.
More than 68,000 people are reported missing in Venezuela following two devastating earthquakes that struck the country earlier this week. The back-to-back tremors, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, caused widespread destruction, resulting in 1,430 confirmed deaths and injuring an additional 3,238 individuals.
Emergency response teams from around the globe have arrived to aid the 30,000 Venezuelan specialists engaged in search and rescue operations. Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that 24 countries have offered support, contributing 521 tonnes of supplies, 86 canine teams, and over 2,741 personnel. Many citizens are also involved in desperate efforts to find loved ones amidst the rubble.
Harrowing videos circulating on social media depict rescuers pulling survivors, including infants, from collapsed buildings. The critical 72-hour window for successful rescues has now passed.
Kaja Kallas, the EU's top diplomat, spoke with Rodríguez and conveyed the EU's solidarity and condolences, announcing that the bloc has mobilized €5 million in emergency assistance. A preliminary estimate from the United Nations Development Programme suggests the direct physical damage from the earthquakes amounts to $6.7 billion.