Venezuela Regains Calm After Earthquakes as Death and Injury Toll Rises

Venezuela is gradually regaining calm, though still with fear and caution, after the intense earthquakes that struck the country last Wednesday and have so far caused 235 deaths and 4,300 injuries, according to Health Minister Carlos Alvarado.

The seismic movement was felt intensely in the states of Trujillo, Carabobo, Yaracuy, Aragua, and Miranda, but the greatest human and material damage occurred in Caracas and La Guaira state.

The earthquakes were separated by only 39 seconds—a phenomenon that, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, occurs infrequently and is recognized as one of the most dangerous in seismology. Due to their intensity, both events on June 24 surpassed the earthquake that occurred on July 29, 1967, which had a magnitude of 6.5, according to the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research. Unconfirmed reports from unofficial sources indicate that Wednesday's earthquakes are the strongest to have occurred in this South American nation in over 125 years.

Alvarado told Venezolana de Televisión last night that as of 7:00 p.m. local time, the death count stood at 235, with 4,300 injured—mostly mild, but also moderate and severe cases, many of whom required surgical intervention. The doctor announced that this Friday the Venezuelan Red Cross will set up a field hospital to provide greater attention to La Guaira, where as of yesterday 70,000 families were affected and more than a hundred buildings had collapsed, said Sectoral Vice President of Politics, Citizen Security, and Peace, Diosdado Cabello.

The greatest damage, still being quantified, has been reported in infrastructure, including 20 shopping centers, eight hospitals, and 250 buildings—the latter especially in La Guaira state, a territory declared in emergency due to the magnitude of the damage.

A significant consequence of the quakes has been the suspension of operations at the Simón Bolívar International Airport in Maiquetía, which suffered considerable damage to its infrastructure and has been shut down for over 24 hours.

During a tour of the historic center and the oldest part of the city, Prensa Latina observed buildings and shopping centers with cracked walls, glass shards, masonry debris, and other remnants.

The national government's top priority is to rescue as many people as possible still trapped under the rubble. Military rescue teams from the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Mexico arrived in the country last night with supplies, and more are expected in the coming hours from the United States, Qatar, Colombia, Ecuador, and other countries, along with humanitarian aid from China, Brazil, and Caribbean nations. (Source: Prensa Latina)