Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
A magnitude 7.2 earthquake hit late Wednesday, 24 June, about 160 km west of Caracas, followed less than a minute later by a stronger 7.5 tremor. The second quake is most powerful recorded in the country since 1900, according to the United States Geological Survey.
The latest death toll from the natural disaster, around 589, was reported by the local Health Ministry.
Speaking to state television, Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said many victims were brought to hospitals without vital signs or died while arriving at health centres.
The disaster also caused widespread destruction in Caracas and coastal areas including La Guaira, damaging at least 250 buildings and overwhelming rescue services.
The U.S. Geological Survey has predicted more than 10,000 deaths.
The government has estimated hundreds of people still trapped and missing on top of 589 confirmed fatalities and 2,980 injuries.
La Guaira, the coastal state adjoining Caracas, was among the hardest-hit regions, with some 70,000 families affected, according to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.
Residents and volunteers searched through debris by hand in some areas as aftershocks continued and electricity remained patchy. Caracas’ main airport was also shut after sustaining structural damage.
A website shared by opposition leaders listed more than 50,000 people as unaccounted for by Friday afternoon, though the figure could not be independently verified.
USGS predictive modelling suggested the death toll could rise significantly, with a strong possibility of climbing into the thousands.
The disaster struck a country already facing deep economic and infrastructure challenges, complicating rescue and relief operations.
Governments and humanitarian groups worldwide have begun mobilising cash, rescue teams and medical supplies.
The United Nations said international urban search-and-rescue teams were being coordinated, while aid chief Tom Fletcher warned that a “massive collective effort” would be needed.
The United States announced $150 million in aid and deployed disaster response teams, while easing sanctions to allow earthquake-related transactions.
Other countries including Mexico, Colombia, France, Spain and Italy have also sent rescue teams, equipment and humanitarian support.
SpaceX said its Starlink service would be free through 25 July for affected users, while deploying extra terminals to restore communications.
The Vatican said Pope Leo XIV had sent €100,000 (≈$113,600) in emergency aid, while World Central Kitchen began distributing meals in Caracas.
Despite the devastation, foreign energy companies said Venezuela’s key oil infrastructure had so far escaped major damage.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. T...
The German broadcaster says energy, trade, transport and regional stability are transforming relations between Baku and Berlin....
Aid organisations in Afghanistan are struggling to keep women in work as Taliban restrictions force them to spend more on male guardians, transport an...
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The German broadcaster says energy, trade, transport and regional stability are transforming relations between Baku and Berlin.
The Trump administration is pressing ahead with new immigration rules that will impose fixed time limits on visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and journalists, tightening requirements for thousands of people who study and work in the U.S.
A Russian Soyuz spacecraft carrying two Russian cosmonauts and one U.S. astronaut successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on Tuesday, highlighting continued U.S.-Russian cooperation in space despite wider geopolitical tensions.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced the reimposition of a U.S. naval blockade on all Iranian ports and warned that power plants and bridges could be targeted next week unless Tehran returns to negotiations.
The United States carried out a third consecutive night of airstrikes against Iran, targeting military capabilities around the Strait of Hormuz as Donald Trump announced the reinstatement of a blockade on Iranian shipping and proposed a 20% fee on cargo passing through the strategic waterway.
The U.S. military announced that it has completed a new wave of strikes against Iranian military targets under U.S. President Donald Trump's orders. The operation targeted command centres, air defence systems, missile and drone facilities, and coastal surveillance sites across multiple locations.
The death toll from the fire at a live music pub in Bangkok has climbed to 32 after two more victims died from their injuries, according to Thailand's Police Hospital.
Ukraine and Russia exchanged fresh attacks on Tuesday, with Kyiv targeting shipping and energy infrastructure inside Russia while Moscow launched another large-scale missile and drone assault on Ukrainian cities.
The Trump administration is pressing ahead with new immigration rules that will impose fixed time limits on visas for foreign students, cultural exchange visitors and journalists, tightening requirements for thousands of people who study and work in the U.S.
Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the UK's "unwavering" support for Ukraine will continue, during his final visit to the country as Prime Minister.
Two British hackers who carried out a cyberattack on Transport for London (TfL) that cost the transport authority £29 million to remediate have been jailed for a total of 11 years.
At least 11 people have been killed and 19 injured in a fire at an orphanage on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, state media reported. The blaze broke out early on Thursday at the institution in the eastern suburbs of Algiers.
A woman whose husband was sucked out of the window of a plane during a Ryanair flight has recounted pulling her husband to safety. Serbian couple Svetlana Maksimovic and Ljubisa Karovic had just settled into a flight with the airline last week, when a loud bang pierced the hum of engines.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment