At Least 235 Dead After Earthquakes in Venezuela

At least 235 people have been confirmed dead, tens of thousands are missing and widespread damage has been reported after two major earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck the area around the Venezuelan capital, Caracas. Rescue workers are operating around the clock, often using only their bare hands and flashlights in areas left without electricity.

The government said the bodies of 235 victims had been taken to medical facilities but has not yet released an overall death toll. The US Geological Survey estimates that the final toll could exceed 10,000. Opposition sources put the number of missing at nearly 50,000.

Among the hardest-hit areas are impoverished slums and the coastal state of La Guaira. The government has confirmed that 250 buildings were damaged or destroyed, including at least eight hospitals, the Red Cross headquarters and the French embassy.

According to the United Nations, the disaster could affect nearly seven million people. Thousands have lost their homes and are without water or electricity, although the country's oil infrastructure has remained largely intact.

Interim President Delcy Rodríguez thanked both the United States and Russia for their assistance. Washington eased sanctions to allow the delivery of humanitarian aid and announced the deployment of rescue teams, while the Pentagon pledged logistical support.

Aid from Mexico and other countries is already arriving, with the UN coordinating international rescue teams. Meanwhile, SpaceX has made its Starlink satellite internet service available free of charge in the affected areas.

(Reuters, Max)