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Venezuela aims to reopen Caracas airport after deadly earthquakes
๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ญ Switzerland /Disasters & Emergencies

Venezuela aims to reopen Caracas airport after deadly earthquakes

From Le Temps · () French

Translated from French, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Venezuela's interim president announced plans to reopen Caracas' main airport for commercial flights as soon as possible following powerful earthquakes.
  • The official death toll from the June 24 earthquakes has risen to 3,685, with 16,740 injured.
  • UN estimates suggest the death toll could reach 50,000, while other projections are closer to 10,000.

Venezuela's government is prioritizing the reopening of the country's main airport in Caracas for commercial flights following devastating earthquakes on June 24. Interim President Delcy Rodrรญguez announced the immediate activation of an alternative plan to resume services as quickly as possible.

The official death toll from the twin quakes has climbed to 3,685, with an additional 16,740 people injured, according to authorities. These figures, however, stand in stark contrast to United Nations estimates, which project the number of fatalities could reach as high as 50,000. Some independent projections place the potential death toll closer to 10,000.

Residents are sifting through the rubble, grappling with the loss of life and the uncertainty of the situation. The discrepancy in death toll estimates highlights the challenges in assessing the full impact of the disaster and underscores the urgent need for recovery efforts and humanitarian aid in the affected regions.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Le Temps in French. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.