The death toll from Venezuela’s devastating twin earthquakes has risen to 2,954, according to official figures released on Saturday.
The number of fatalities has increased by more than 300 since Friday, with over 16,000 people injured in the June 24 disaster that toppled dozens of buildings and left thousands still missing.
The quake, one of the worst earthquake disasters in Latin America in recent years, has also left more than 16,000 people homeless and caused the collapse of 190 buildings, mostly in the coastal La Guaira region north of the capital, Caracas.
Ten days after the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude tremors struck, rescue operations are gradually being scaled back as emergency teams wind down search efforts for survivors. Families, meanwhile, continue to recover the bodies of loved ones from the rubble.
Although the critical window for finding survivors in earthquake disasters is typically within 72 hours, a handful of people have been pulled alive from the debris this week, offering rare moments of hope amid the devastation.
AFP
