Death toll in Venezuela touches 235, 4300 injured, many missing

CARACAS: The twin powerful earthquakes that hit the Latin American country of Venezuela have killed 235 people so far. 4,300 people have been injured and some are in a critical condition, said Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said. The second, measuring 7.5, is the strongest earthquake to hit Venezuela in a century. Many people are missing in the capital, Caracas, and the nearby port city of La Guaira. It is doubtful whether they are still under collapsed buildings. People are still being rescued by clearing away the rubble.

The United States has deployed security forces to strengthen rescue operations in the country. However, they have not yet arrived in Venezuela. It is not clear when they will arrive. Foreign aid is pouring in for earthquake relief efforts. The country, including children, is in dire straits. Many have been left homeless and are on the streets. The natural disaster occurred at a time when the country is struggling with political and economic collapse.

The earthquakes that shook Venezuela occurred within seconds of each other. More than 30 aftershocks sent people fleeing to open areas. The first earthquake, measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale, struck at 3.34 am Indian time (6.04 pm local time on Wednesday). The second earthquake, measuring 7.5, struck 39 seconds later. Major cities were shaken. Buildings collapsed. Tremors were felt in Bogota, the capital of Colombia, and northern Brazil.