No New Damage Reported in Venezuela After Strong Aftershock

Venezuelan officials have stated that no further damage has been reported following a moderate tremor that rattled Caracas and La Guaira on Monday. This aftershock occurred just days after a powerful double earthquake left an estimated 1,500 people dead.

Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, confirmed on Telegram that the latest seismic event, measuring 4.6 magnitude, did not cause additional damage across the country. However, the tremor was felt intensely in coastal areas, including La Guaira, a popular beach resort near the capital. "It was felt quite a bit," said Isamel Díaz, a resident of La Guaira, to AFP.

The epicenter of Monday's tremor was located 27 kilometers north of Caraballeda, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). For residents like Fernan Hernández, who was searching for his brother in the ruins of a collapsed building in La Guaira, the tremor brought back the horror of the initial earthquake. "The difference from the earthquake is that the earthquake came from the side. This one made the floor bounce. We all felt it," he told AFP, describing the "horrible" panic and the desperate need for help to recover bodies.

These new tremors occur as rescue operations transition to a grim phase. The critical 72-hour window for finding survivors after the initial 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes has passed. Rescue teams now focus on recovering bodies. The situation in La Guaira, the epicenter of the tragedy and again affected by Monday's aftershock, is described as desolate, with collapsed buildings reduced to rubble. Authorities reported 774 affected buildings, with 189 suffering total collapse.

The official death toll has reached 1,450, with 3,150 injured. However, the United Nations estimates that over 50,000 people are missing, and the total number of affected individuals could be as high as seven million.