Venezuela reports 32 dead and over 700 injured after its twin earthquake, toll expected to rise
Key takeaways
- We have reports of 32 dead, not yet counting the figures that the state of La Guaira may yield, and more than 700 injured, the leader said in a broadcast on the state channel Venezolana de Televisi n.
- Rodr guez said that La Guaira, a coastal state north of Caracas, is the hardest hit and described it as a disaster zone, with a high number of collapsed buildings.
- The first official toll contrasts with the projections released by the US Geological Survey (USGS), which estimated around a 40% probability that the earthquakes caused between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths.
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Venezuela's acting President Delcy Rodr guez reported on Thursday at least 32 dead and more than 700 injured from the two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck the north-central part of the country on Wednesday, and warned that the toll would rise. We have reports of 32 dead, not yet counting the figures that the state of La Guaira may yield, and more than 700 injured, the leader said in a broadcast on the state channel Venezolana de Televisi n.
Rodr guez said that La Guaira, a coastal state north of Caracas, is the hardest hit and described it as a disaster zone, with a high number of collapsed buildings. The president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodr guez, specified that up to 15 buildings came down in that region. It is home to Maiquet a International Airport, the country's main one, which serves Caracas and was closed after suffering severe damage. The acting president also announced the suspension of classes for the coming days, as well as of the metro and the railway, along with disruptions to electricity, water and gas services.
The first official toll contrasts with the projections released by the US Geological Survey (USGS), which estimated around a 40% probability that the earthquakes caused between 10,000 and 100,000 deaths. This is a statistical calculation based on the intensity of the shaking, the exposed population and the vulnerability of the buildings, and not a count of victims, so it will have to be checked against reports on the ground as rescue work progresses.