A new earthquake on Monday morning shook the affected areas again, while search, rescue, and structural assessment efforts continue
SANTO DOMINGO – The magnitude of the tragedy caused by the double earthquake that struck Venezuela last Wednesday, June 24, continues to worsen. According to figures released by the government, reports of missing persons have risen to 64,499, while the official death toll has reached 1,450 and the number of injured has exceeded 3,150.
Venezuelan authorities are maintaining active search and rescue efforts in several regions of the country, while teams of engineers, structural specialists and emergency agencies continue to assess the damage caused by the 7.5 and 7.2 magnitude earthquakes, considered among the most devastating seismic events recorded in Venezuela in more than a century.
More than 430 buildings destroyed
The extent of the impact on urban infrastructure is beginning to become clear through satellite imagery. According to an analysis published by the Spanish newspaper El País, based on data from the European Copernicus program, at least 434 buildings have completely collapsed in the areas most affected by the earthquake.
Satellite analysis also identified some 1,304 buildings with significant structural damage, although international organizations use higher estimates. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), using data from Microsoft AI for Good Lab, estimates that approximately 9,868 buildings were damaged.
The coastal towns of Catia la Mar and Caraballeda account for much of the destruction. In Catia la Mar alone, 242 buildings were completely destroyed, while in Caraballeda the figure rises to 152 collapsed structures, according to satellite analysis.
New earthquake strikes hit areas again
The emergency worsened this Monday, as documented by the international media outlet Deutsche Welle (DW), after a new earthquake of magnitude 4.6 shook the central Venezuelan coast again, especially the state of La Guaira, one of the regions most impacted by the double earthquake last Wednesday.
According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the earthquake's epicenter was located approximately 27 kilometers north of Caraballeda. The new event caused further partial collapses of previously damaged structures and forced the temporary suspension of some rescue operations.
The search continues
While international aid and humanitarian assistance teams continue to arrive, Venezuelan authorities are maintaining the deployment of rescuers, medical personnel, civil engineers, and structural assessment specialists to locate missing persons and determine the condition of thousands of affected buildings.
Experts cited by various international organizations have warned that the final death toll could continue to rise in the coming days, due to the magnitude of the destruction recorded in several urban and coastal areas of the country.
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