At least 164 dead, 971 injured as quakes rock Venezuela
Caracas, June 25
The death toll in Venezuela has climbed to at least 164 following devastating earthquakes, while 971 others have been confirmed injured, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez announced in an update early on Thursday.
According to CNN, authorities fear that the actual number of fatalities could be significantly higher due to the vast number of destroyed and damaged buildings, as emergency teams press on with search and rescue operations. Rodriguez noted that the region has been rattled by at least 30 aftershocks following the primary twin tremors.
In an interview with Venezuela's state broadcaster, Rodriguez stated that she is coordinating with the United Nations to deploy rescue teams, CNN reported.
She is also in discussions with the International Monetary Fund to establish an initial fund of USD 200 million for the reconstruction of the nation.
The powerful back-to-back earthquakes hit Venezuela during the early hours of Thursday (Indian Standard Time), causing massive destruction and flattening buildings in the capital city of Caracas.
According to officials and monitoring agencies, the twin quakes stand as the most powerful seismic events to strike the Latin American country in a century.
Data from the US Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the first tremor measured a magnitude of 7.1, striking at a shallow depth of 13 kilometres, with its epicentre situated west of Moron, a coastal community around 168 kilometres west of Caracas.
Barely 40 seconds later, a more violent 7.5-magnitude earthquake hit the exact same area at a depth of 10 kilometres, with its epicentre roughly 16 kilometres southwest of Moron, severely intensifying the impact across the affected zones.
Following the severe seismic activity, the US Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre issued tsunami alerts for Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, though these warnings were subsequently withdrawn.
— ANI
Reader Comments
This is terrible. Back-to-back quakes of 7.1 and 7.5 magnitude within seconds... Caracas must be in ruins. But I also question: Why is the acting president negotiating with IMF for $200 million instead of focusing on immediate rescue? Priorities seem off. 😟
As someone from the US, this hits hard. We often take building codes for granted. Venezuela's infrastructure was already struggling, and now this. Hope the UN and IMF move fast—people are trapped under rubble. Tsunami alerts for Puerto Rico too? Scary.
Heartbreaking. 164 dead and likely more... We in India know too well how earthquakes can level cities. The 7.5 magnitude at just 10 km depth is devastating—shallow quakes cause maximum damage. My thoughts are with the Venezuelan people. Stay strong. 🇻🇪❤️
It's shocking how quickly these twin quakes hit—40 seconds apart. The fact that 30 aftershocks followed makes rescue efforts even more dangerous. Venezuela was already facing economic crisis; this will set them back years. International community must step up.
Respectful criticism: Delcy Rodriguez should be coordinating rescue teams, not IMF loans right now. People are dying under rubble! The $200 million fund is important but can wait. India sent rescue teams to Nepal in 2015—Venezuela needs similar urgent help, not red tape. 🚨
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