Venezuela jolted again: 5.6-magnitude earthquake strikes Aragua amid rescue efforts

Venezuela experienced another seismic jolt as a 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck the Aragua region on Thursday. This latest tremor adds to the ongoing crisis as the nation grapples with the aftermath of devastating twin earthquakes earlier in the week.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) reported the magnitude of the fresh tremor. Rescue teams are still actively searching for survivors amidst the widespread destruction left by the initial 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes. Those earlier quakes flattened buildings and displaced thousands.

Authorities have confirmed a death toll exceeding 1,430, with over 3,200 individuals injured. Approximately 3,100 residents are now homeless. The opposition, however, claims that an online missing persons database indicates more than 54,000 people are unaccounted for, highlighting the scale of the disaster.

International aid is arriving, with about 1,600 foreign rescue personnel on the ground and more expected. Rescue operations are concentrated in La Guaira, a severely impacted coastal city, where residents have reported shortages of heavy equipment and delays in accessing collapsed structures. The United Nations estimates that nearly 7 million people could be affected, with direct economic losses projected at around $6.7 billion. Power supply is gradually being restored in some areas, though outages persist.