A new aftershock shook Caracas and neighbouring La Guaira on Monday morning, deepening fears over buildings already weakened by last week’s devastating earthquakes.
The tremor, reported at magnitude 4.6, was felt shortly after 7am local time, according to AFP journalists cited by international media. It came nearly five days after two powerful quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5, struck Venezuela on Wednesday, June 24.
The death toll had reached 1,450 by Sunday, according to National Assembly president Jorge Rodríguez. More than 3,100 people have been injured, while 12,721 have been displaced. Reuters reported that 774 buildings had collapsed, with La Guaira among the hardest-hit areas.
Rescue operations are continuing, with more than 2,600 foreign rescue workers joining local teams on the ground. Authorities have said several people were pulled alive from the rubble over the weekend, including children, but hopes of finding more survivors are fading as time passes.
Reuters reported that just under 50,000 people were listed as unaccounted for on an opposition-promoted platform, although the government has given a far lower figure for those officially missing or trapped.
The latest aftershock followed further tremors recorded on Sunday, raising concerns that already damaged structures could become even more unstable as emergency crews continue their work.
Source: CNA
