CARACAS — The death toll from twin powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week has surpassed 1,700, officials said on Monday, as rescue teams continued searching for survivors amid widespread destruction.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez announced the updated figure of at least 1,719 dead, according to multiple reports citing Venezuelan authorities. Thousands more remain missing, with rescue operations ongoing in the hardest-hit areas including La Guaira and parts of Caracas.
The earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck northwestern Venezuela on June 24, with epicenters near Veroes in Yaracuy state, about 39 seconds apart. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the events as a foreshock-mainshock sequence on strike-slip faults near the Caribbean-South American plate boundary.
Officials have reported thousands injured and tens of thousands displaced or affected, with significant damage to buildings and infrastructure. Rescue efforts have included international teams, though the full extent of the humanitarian needs remains under assessment.
The death toll is expected to rise as searches continue in rubble and remote areas, authorities said. Details on the precise number of missing persons and the scale of destruction were still being verified as of Monday.
The story is developing.
