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A new earthquake measuring 4.8 struck the central coast of Venezuela this Saturday at 2:20 PM local time, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The movement occurs four days after the double earthquake with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 that struck the north of the country on Wednesday, June 24, considered the most powerful recorded in Venezuela since 1900.
The epicenter of the aftershock this Saturday was located at coordinates 10.78°N and 67.59°W, in waters close to the Venezuelan coast, 38 kilometers from La Guaira, 66 kilometers from Los Teques, and 97 kilometers from Isla Ratón, according to the data released by the SGC.
There is a technical discrepancy between the sources: while the official bulletin from the SGC indicates a shallow depth of less than 30 kilometers— which usually intensifies the perception of surface movement— the media UHN Plus and N+ reported a depth of 111 kilometers.
The earthquake was felt in different areas of the country, including Maracaibo, where residents reported experiencing it via social media and immediately reached out to family members to confirm their well-being.
So far, Venezuelan authorities have not reported any injuries or material damage resulting from this new tremor, although assessments are ongoing in the areas where the movement was felt.
The Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research (Funvisis) has recorded more than 300 aftershocks since June 24, including 20 alone during the early hours of this Saturday, an activity that significantly complicates rescue efforts in La Guaira and other devastated areas.
The context in which this new statement arrives is one of humanitarian catastrophe: the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, reported this Saturday that the official toll from the double earthquake on Wednesday has risen to 1,430 deceased and 3,328 injured.
“At this hour (...) we are counting that 1,430 brothers and sisters have passed away; unfortunately, they have lost their lives,” declared Rodríguez in a speech broadcast on the Venezuelan state channel.
In La Guaira, the area most devastated by the major earthquakes, 250 buildings have collapsed, the José María Vargas Hospital has been destroyed, and the Maiquetía International Airport remains closed.
The UN estimates that 6.76 million people have been affected by the earthquakes on Wednesday, with more than 50,000 missing, while the United States Geological Survey (USGS) projected, with a 42% probability, that the final death toll could be between 10,000 and 100,000 people.
Among the missing are at least 32 Cubans concentrated in La Guaira, including two children who are siblings from Melena del Sur, in Mayabeque, while the Cuban regime declared this Saturday that it has no official confirmation of compatriots who are deceased or missing.
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