Venezuela quake death toll tops 5,000 as IMF grants $346 million aid
AP News reported that two powerful magnitude-7 earthquakes struck western Venezuela, devastating the coastal state of La Guaira and the capital Caracas. The quakes, measured at 7. 1 and 7. 5 by the U. S. Geological Survey, caused building collapses and prompted evacuations, according to the agency and the U. S. Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. BBC noted that the twin shocks, recorded at 7. 2 and 7. 5, left many structures in ruins and officials warned of further aftershocks and a high risk of casualties. The Guardian later said that countries including the United States, Cuba, Iran and several European nations pledged assistance after the disasters, which had already killed at least 164 people. CBS reported the death toll had risen to at least 188 and about 1,500 people were injured, while officials cautioned that the number could continue to climb. CNN described how the Venezuelan government and civil-protection units intensified searches for survivors as dozens of foreign rescue teams arrived.
NPR said the president declared a nationwide state of emergency, with the death count reaching at least 589 and thousands more injured. The New York Times added that the quakes left thousands displaced and exposed the country's limited rescue capacity. Al Jazeera reported a 4. 8-magnitude aftershock off the coast, bringing the confirmed death toll to at least 1 430. Four days after the shocks, AP noted that more than 2,600 international rescuers and 140 trained dogs were combing the rubble in La Guaira, where authorities said 1,450 people had died and over 770 buildings had collapsed. Al Jazeera later highlighted criticism of interim president Delcy Rodríguez, stating that nearly 1,500 people were dead and tens of thousands remained missing. CNN confirmed that the death toll stayed above 1,450 and that rescue teams continued to extract survivors and deliver aid. BBC reported that a Jordanian team rescued a three-year-old boy six days after the earthquakes, while UN agencies warned of severe humanitarian needs. The Guardian echoed the rescue, noting the toddler was the only survivor found on the sixth day and that the overall death count had risen above 1,900. NPR indicated that the disaster had left nearly 2,000 dead, more than 10,000 injured and up to 6. 8 million people in need of assistance, prompting a large-scale international relief effort. The Guardian later reported growing public outrage as the death toll approached 4,500 and critics accused the government of a slow and inadequate response. ABC News announced that authorities had raised the official death count to 5,069, with injuries unchanged at 16,740. Al Jazeera concluded that the IMF approved $346 million in emergency financing to support humanitarian relief following the twin earthquakes.
