Rescuers are continuing their search through rubble for thousands of people who are still missing in Venezuela after two devastating earthquakes struck on Wednesday night. The Venezuelan government says that at least 235 people are confirmed dead and thousands have been injured. The quakes struck the capital city of Caracas and surrounding areas, resulting in widespread destruction and overwhelming local response efforts. Officials warn that the death toll is likely to rise as the search efforts continue. The last earthquake of comparable magnitude to hit Caracas happened in 1967, when more than 200 people were killed by a magnitude 6.7 quake. Wednesday's quakes measured at magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5. |
🎧 Some people in the capital say that certain areas there resemble a war zone because so many buildings have completely collapsed, reporter Manuel Rueda tells Up First. The destruction has left thousands of people homeless and sleeping in parks at night. Some individuals whose buildings may not have collapsed are also choosing to sleep outside for fear of aftershocks. Hundreds of people trapped in buildings are desperately waiting for a search-and-rescue response, but Venezuela has little experience dealing with major earthquakes, as they don't happen there often. Humanitarian groups there say that supporting affected individuals will be a lengthy process, as they will need food, shelter and medical assistance. This effort is expected to take several weeks, Rueda says.
➡️ The fact that the two quakes struck on land, near major population centers, made them especially deadly, according to geologist William Barnhart. Here's what experts say made them so different.
➡️ See photos of Venezuela's destruction after the earthquakes. |
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BRITTNEY MELTON
UP FIRST NEWSLETTER WRITER
NPR
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