The number of confirmed victims of the devastating double earthquake in Venezuela has reached at least 920 people, and over 50,000 people remain missing as of 3:30 a.m. Bulgarian time on June 27.
The grim statistics were officially announced by the President of the National Assembly in Caracas, Jorge Rodriguez. Seismologists fear the final death toll could exceed 10,000, as entire neighborhoods were completely leveled, CNN and El País reported.
Chronology of the disaster
The country was struck by two consecutive, extremely powerful earthquakes with a magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, felt within just 39 seconds with an epicenter near the densely populated coast. The situation worsened dramatically after a new strong aftershock with a magnitude 4.9, which further destroyed already compromised buildings and caused mass panic among survivors.
Humanitarian crisis and trapped under the ruins
Official data from the Venezuelan authorities at this time outline the scale of the tragedy:
- Injured: More than 3,360 people have been hospitalized, with hospitals in La Guaira province operating at 900% capacity.
- Buried: Rescue teams have located and are trying to pull to the surface at least 172 survivors trapped under fallen concrete slabs.
- Material damage: 383 large residential and administrative buildings, 13 hospitals and over 1,000 houses were completely or partially destroyed. Caracas International Airport is out of service due to collapses.
In an effort to facilitate coordination and the search for missing persons, the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez has taken the unprecedented step of lifting a two-year national ban on the use of the social network X (formerly Twitter).
International Mobilization
A state of emergency has been declared in Venezuela. Heavily equipped rescue teams from Switzerland, Mexico, El Salvador and Turkey are already working on the ground. The United States has also joined the humanitarian operation, activating its Southern Command to deliver emergency aid and logistical support on the ground. According to Iberian media, among the victims identified so far are citizens of Spain, Portugal, Brazil and China.
The position of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Are there any Bulgarians injured?
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria announced that as of this hour There are no reports of Bulgarian citizens dying or being injured in the disaster. The Bulgarian Embassy in Brazil, which is also accredited to Venezuela, is in constant contact with local crisis headquarters and is monitoring the situation in real time.