Death toll in Venezuela’s back-to-back earthquakes rises to 164

Caracas: At least 164 were killed and 971 injured in back-to-back powerful earthquakes in Venezuela, the country’s acting President Delcy Rodriguez said Thursday.

Rodriguez said the earthquake had triggered about 30 aftershocks, while stressing that the government is currently coordinating resources nationwide to strengthen rescue efforts in the hardest-hit areas and has called on the private sector to help procure rescue equipment and supplies.

She expressed hope that improved visibility after daybreak would enable rescue workers to accelerate search-and-rescue operations, Xinhua news agency reported.

Earlier, she declared a national state of emergency and announced the closure of Maiquetia International Airport, the main airport serving Caracas.

Rodriguez also ordered the suspension of classes and nonessential activities nationwide for the rest of the week, and called on medical personnel across the country to assist in treating the injured.

Interior, Justice and Peace Minister Diosdado Cabello said in a televised address on Wednesday night that the earthquakes affected several cities and caused multiple building collapses in eastern Caracas.

The quakes were among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century and could be felt throughout the region. Tremors were significantly far-reaching, triggering building evacuations in Brazilian cities, roughly 1,700 kilometres away from Venezuela’s capital, Caracas.

The shaking began shortly after 6 p.m. (local time/2200 GMT) on Wednesday in Caracas.

Within less than a minute, Venezuela was struck by two powerful earthquakes, both above magnitude 7. The tremors were reportedly felt across much of the country.

The quakes caused voltage fluctuations and a brief power outage in the residential area. Many residents soon gathered in open spaces, staying away from buildings as fears of aftershocks spread.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) said a magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck near Montalvan, Venezuela, at a depth of 10 km. Less than a minute later, a magnitude 7.5 quake hit the country, also at a depth of 10 km. The first quake was later revised to a magnitude of 7.2.

The USGS also issued a red alert, warning that the earthquakes were expected to cause significant casualties and widespread damage, with economic losses estimated at 2 per cent to 20 per cent of Venezuela’s gross domestic product.

IANS