Caracas: Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 235 people and trapping hundreds under rubble as rescuers searched for survivors and international support poured into the disaster-stricken South American country.
The quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale, struck central Venezuela in less than a minute, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS).
The first quake struck at a depth of 20.3 kilometers, followed by a second at a depth of 10 kilometers, leaving at least 4,300 people injured and 157 missing.
As of 12 noon local time on Thursday, the two quakes had triggered 138 aftershocks, Venezuelan National Assembly Speaker Jorge Rodriguez said in a televised address. The government has declared several regions, including the state of La Guaira, a disaster zone amid the aftershocks.
The USGS issued a red alert after the quake, warning of serious casualties, widespread damage and severe economic losses. Initial modeling from the USGS estimates that the final death toll could reach between 10,000 and 100,000, while economic losses could range from 2 percent to 10 percent of Venezuela’s gross domestic product.
Edited by Chhouk Bora
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