Caracas: The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela earlier this week has risen to 920, National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez said Friday.
In a televised address, Rodriguez said the death toll had climbed significantly as rescue workers reached more affected areas.
He said at least 2,980 people have been injured and thousands more remain unaccounted for. A website created to track missing persons listed nearly 50,000 people as unaccounted for, though this figure has not been independently verified.
The earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck less than a minute apart Wednesday evening, according to the US Geological Survey. The epicentre was located near the coastal town of Moron, about 160 km west of Caracas.
The USGS said the tremors constituted a seismic “doublet”, a rare phenomenon in which two major earthquakes occur within seconds in the same area. Early modelling from the USGS estimates that the final death toll could reach between 10,000 and 100,000.
The coastal state of La Guaira, north of Caracas, is the hardest-hit area. Acting President Delcy Rodriguez has declared it a disaster zone, saying dozens of buildings have collapsed and the state has suffered serious infrastructure damage.
At least 346 buildings have been damaged or destroyed, including eight hospitals and the headquarters of the Venezuelan Red Cross. The Simon Bolivar International Airport, which serves Caracas, has been closed due to structural damage.
International rescue teams from several countries, including the United States, Mexico, Spain and El Salvador, have arrived to assist in rescue operations.
The US Treasury Department has temporarily eased sanctions to facilitate aid deliveries. Acting President Rodriguez thanked the international community for its support.
Authorities have warned that the death toll could rise further as rescue teams continue to comb through collapsed buildings.
