The death toll in Venezuela’s earthquakes has risen to 1,430. The latest figures were released as rescuers continued the search for survivors of the one-two punch of 7.2- and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes that devastated the South American nation on Wednesday.
Families have reported at least 68,900 people missing. Venezuelans looking for loved ones and neighbours used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands atop mounds of toppled concrete throughout La Guaira, one of Venezuela’s hardest-hit states.
Meanwhile, the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research reported a 4.1 magnitude earthquake across the central region of Venezuela.
The state seismological agency said the epicentre of the latest tremor was located about 35 km west of La Guaira, a key port city on the country’s central coast that was declared a disaster zone after sustaining extensive damage from Wednesday’s two powerful earthquakes.
The agency reported that the quake occurred at a shallow depth of 5 km, which typically amplifies ground shaking and increases the potential for structural damage.