Portuguese deaths from Venezuela earthquakes rise to 107; 57 still missing

The death toll among Portuguese citizens in Venezuela following two devastating earthquakes has climbed to 107, including 19 children, the Portuguese government reported. In addition to the fatalities, 57 Portuguese nationals are still unaccounted for after the seismic events that struck the Venezuelan coast two weeks prior.

The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck with just 39 seconds between them on June 24. They caused widespread destruction along Venezuela's Caribbean coast. Official Venezuelan authorities have reported a total of at least 3,899 deaths and 16,740 injuries from the disaster.

Portugal has been actively involved in relief efforts. The national airline, TAP Air Portugal, is scheduled to resume flights to Venezuela on Monday. The first flight will carry 8.7 tons of medical equipment intended to aid those affected by the earthquakes. This follows previous aid shipments, including 12 tons of humanitarian supplies, two ambulances donated by the Portuguese Red Cross, and tools for debris removal.

Furthermore, Portugal allocated approximately 400,000 euros for emergency projects managed by the Camões Institute. A specialized Portuguese search and rescue team, comprising 62 members from various emergency services and including six specialized dogs, returned to Portugal after over a week of intensive work in the affected areas.