The toll of victims from the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela continues to worsen, according to recent data from EFE.
The president Delcy Rodríguez raised the figures this Thursday to 164 deceased, 971 injured, and confirmed at least 30 aftershocks recorded since the two earthquakes struck the north of the country on Wednesday afternoon.
The two earthquakes —magnitude 7.2 and 7.5— occurred on Wednesday, June 24, just 39 seconds apart, with epicenters in the state of Yaracuy.
The second and most powerful one was located just 10 kilometers deep, which considerably amplified its surface impact and makes it, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the strongest earthquake recorded in Venezuela since the year 1900.
The state of La Guaira is experiencing the worst damages. Rodríguez declared it a disaster zone and described the situation in stark terms.
"The State of La Guaira is a true tragedy. There are dozens of collapsed buildings, and we are currently engaged in very hard rescue efforts to save the lives that God allows us to save," he said.
In Caracas, the areas of Los Palos Grandes, Altamira, and Chacao reported building collapses, including the 14-story Petunia residential building and at least one 22-story tower in Altamira.
More than 90 structures were affected just in the state of Miranda. The Maiquetía International Airport, the Caracas Metro, and the Tuy Valley Railway remain closed due to structural damage. The states of Miranda, Aragua, Carabobo, and Falcón are also among the hardest hit.
The USGS issued a Red Alert—its highest level—and its loss estimation system calculated a 42% probability that the final number of deaths could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people.
The agency also estimated that the economic losses could amount to 1%-7% of Venezuela's Gross Domestic Product. These are automatic probabilistic projections, not actual victim counts, and the official balance remains well below those ranges.
In his second public appearance, early Thursday morning, Rodríguez explicitly thanked the U.S. President Donald Trump.
"I want to thank President Donald Trump and his government for maintaining continuous contact with the Venezuelan government, providing support and solidarity, and in the early hours, we will be receiving rescuers."
Trump responded on his social media platform Truth Social that he had instructed all government agencies to "move quickly" and that the United States would be there for its "new and great friends."
The Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the immediate dispatch of search and rescue equipment, medical supplies, and humanitarian assistance.
Rodríguez also reported on the confirmed support from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Qatar, whose rescue brigade was scheduled to arrive this Thursday. Among the countries mentioned—United States, Panama, Qatar, Ecuador, Colombia, United Kingdom, Brazil, and Mexico—Cuba, a historical ally of the Venezuelan regime, was not included.
The acting president appeared flanked by Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, and Diosdado Cabello, minister of the Interior, and called for national unity in the face of the disaster: "The main thing is to save lives; afterwards, we will see how to tackle material reconstruction."
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