At least 920 people have been killed and 3,360 injured after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday night.
According to Sky News, the latest casualty figures were confirmed on Friday by the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez.
No fewer than 50,000 people have been reported missing following the 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes, which struck within minutes of each other.
The second quake is believed to be the strongest to hit the South American country in more than a century.
Rodriguez said the earthquakes damaged 383 buildings, with at least 172 people still trapped beneath the rubble.
He added that La Guaira, the worst-hit area, had been fully militarised and urged members of the public to stay away.
“We appreciate the overwhelming desire to help, but the roads we are using to transport the injured are becoming congested. The best way to help is to keep the roads clear so that medical teams can transport patients and rescue crews can carry out their work more effectively,” he said.
Venezuela’s acting President, Delcy Rodríguez, also announced the militarisation of La Guaira.
The government said it had established a stockpile centre for food, water and medicines at the Foreign Ministry in Caracas.
It added that officials were assessing buildings that sustained structural damage but did not collapse.
The Sectoral Vice President of public works and services, Juan José Ramírez, said rescue teams were using percussion equipment to break through concrete in search of more survivors.
Meanwhile, persistent aftershocks and a shortage of heavy machinery have slowed rescue operations in several affected areas, forcing residents in some communities to clear debris with basic tools.
Some residents in coastal communities have appealed for civilian volunteers armed with “pickaxes and shovels” to assist in the rescue efforts.
The death toll is expected to rise as emergency workers continue searching through the rubble of collapsed buildings across northern Venezuela.
The U.S. Geological Survey said fatalities were likely to run into the thousands, with a significant probability that the toll could exceed 10,000.
Aid efforts have also been hampered by damage to Maiquetía “Simón Bolívar” International Airport, forcing its closure.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States was ready to assist.
“We have a whole-of-government response. It’ll be big; it’ll be fast; and it’ll be effective,” Rubio said.
Families have continued to post photographs of missing relatives on a dedicated missing persons website as the search for survivors enters a critical phase. – Agency report.
