Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 164

The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 164, with 971 individuals injured, acting President Delcy Rodriguez announced Thursday. Initial reports indicated 32 fatalities and over 700 injured following the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes on Wednesday night, a figure Rodriguez cautioned was likely to rise.

The seismic event ranks among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in over a century. Following the tremors, Rodriguez declared a national emergency. The earthquakes struck the country's northern Caribbean coast, leaving a trail of widespread destruction and prompting tsunami warnings across the region.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has estimated a 42 percent probability that the death toll could range between 10,000 and 100,000. The La Guaira region, situated near the capital Caracas, appears to be the state most severely impacted by the quake.

Local television station teleSur quoted Rodriguez, stating that authorities are currently concentrating their efforts on rescuing people trapped within collapsed buildings and homes. The USGS reported that northern Venezuela experienced a series of extraordinary double earthquakes. The Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency and is actively conducting search-and-rescue operations.

“

The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to 164, with 971 others injured.