Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 235
via Le Matin1 min read
The death toll from the recent earthquakes in Venezuela has reached 235, with Health Minister Carlos Alvarado confirming that these patients either arrived without vital signs or died upon arrival at health facilities. Among the deceased are two Spaniards, one Portuguese, two Brazilians, one Italian-Venezuelan, and two Chinese nationals. The Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported 80 Spaniards were still unaccounted for as of Friday morning. The quakes also resulted in at least 4,300 injuries nationwide. The hardest-hit area is La Guaira, north of the capital Caracas, which includes the international airport of Maiquetia, now closed due to damage, and the coastal city of Catia la Mar, where several buildings collapsed. Interim President Delcy Rodriguez declared a state of emergency following the double tremors of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, which occurred on Wednesday at 18:04 22:04 GMT. According to the United States Geological Survey USGS, the 7.5 magnitude earthquake is the strongest to hit Venezuela, a country of nearly 30 million inhabitants, since 1900. The first tremor occurred at a depth of 21.9 km, approximately 200 km west of Caracas, followed by a second at 10 km depth, recorded 39 seconds later 45 km away, and then about twenty aftershocks.
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