Venezuela Twin Quakes Kill 2,954 as Delcy Rodríguez Says Rescue Efforts Continue

Twin earthquakes struck northern Venezuela on June 24, killing at least 2,595 people as Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said Friday, with the toll rising by 300 from the previous day while rescue operations continued for more than a week.

Reuters reported that a magnitude 7.2 quake was followed seconds later by a 7.5 mainshock last Wednesday, the strongest tremors to hit Venezuela since 1900, flattening buildings across Caracas and La Guaira and severely damaging Simón Bolívar International Airport.

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In La Guaira, the epicenter about forty kilometers from Caracas, Le Devoir said many entire buildings were flattened like a mille-feuille on June 24, and it put the death toll at 2,954 with 16,592 injured in a provisional tally released by the Venezuelan Ministry of Communications.

Le Devoir also said the two earthquakes occurred 39 seconds apart and mainly affected the north of Venezuela, while the U.S. Geological Survey cited the 7.5-magnitude quake as the strongest to hit Venezuela since 1900.

NASA and Oregon State University researchers, as cited by Reuters, estimated that about 58,870 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed after the disaster.

As international rescue teams gradually wind down in the rubble, Francisco Sasquia, a 38-year-old volunteer rescuer and translator, told AFP in La Guaira: "We keep working, we’re finding bodies, we continue," while bulldozers finished knocking down collapsed structures.

Le Devoir also quoted Sasquia saying, "We still think we will find people alive; we do not lose hope," as brigades from Vietnam and Mexico participating in the effort left the area.

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In Caracas and La Guaira, the interim president Delcy Rodríguez decorated rescuers from countries including the United Kingdom, Qatar, France, India, Barbados, Brazil and Argentina, and Le Devoir reported she said, "It is universal solidarity that must inspire the peoples of the world," during the ceremony.

Reuters reported Rodríguez’s first press conference since taking power in January after the U.S. military operation that captured Nicolás Maduro’s presidency, and it said the government had not concluded its search and rescue efforts.

Ouest-France reported Rodríguez declared seven days of national mourning starting from 6 p.m. on July 1, citing her Telegram post: "In homage to the memory of the victims, I have decided to declare seven days of national mourning starting from 6 p.m. today,".

With the window for finding survivors narrowing, Le Devoir said the window to find survivors in this type of disaster closes after 72 hours, or three days, even as it noted rescuers saved a man buried for eight days on Thursday.

“The death toll from Venezuela's deadly twin quakes has risen to 2954”

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Reuters said the government issued an emergency decree to activate civil protection and emergency protocols within hours of the tremors, while it also reported that the UN Development Programme projected direct physical damage at $6.7 billion, equivalent to about 6% of gross domestic product.

Le Figaro reported that more than 16,000 people had lost their homes and 856 buildings were damaged, while it said the UN estimates could reach up to 50,000 for missing persons.

Ouest-France added that the UNHCR warned on Tuesday that in La Guaira, "food shortages are widespread, basic services have collapsed and communications are largely cut off," and it said the government limited access by imposing a pass for volunteers.

As hopes of additional rescues faded, Reuters said the U.S. pledged to mobilize $150 million in humanitarian aid and deployed four search-and-rescue teams with more than 900 personnel in Venezuela, while it also said authorities were inspecting PDVSA’s Catia La Mar fuel terminal for damage.