Death Toll from Venezuela Earthquakes Rises to 1,450 as Search and Rescue Operations Continue

Death Toll from Venezuela Earthquakes Rises to 1,450 as Search and Rescue Operations Continue
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The death toll from two earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to 1,450, AFP reported on Sunday evening, as search and rescue operations continue amid widespread destruction caused by the disaster.

Venezuelan National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodríguez had earlier said that 1,430 people were killed and 3,238 others injured, before the latest figures confirmed that the number of deaths had climbed to 1,450.

Rescue teams are continuing efforts to find survivors trapped under the rubble after the two earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused severe damage across several areas of the South American country.

Reports said Venezuelan families have reported at least 68,900 people missing. Residents and rescue workers are using shovels, heavy machinery, ropes, and their bare hands to remove debris and search for the missing, particularly in La Guaira state, one of the hardest-hit areas.

As part of the humanitarian response, Simón Bolívar International Airport has partially resumed operations and begun receiving cargo planes carrying relief and humanitarian aid for those affected.

The United Nations has estimated that around seven million people may have been affected by the earthquakes, amid warnings that humanitarian needs could continue to grow as rescue and relief efforts proceed in disaster-hit areas.