Venezuela hit by new 5.6 earthquake after two aftershocks that left over 1,400 dead | Today’s news
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Aragua, Venezuela, on Saturday, just hours after a 4.8-magnitude tremor shook the same area, the European-Mediterranean Seismological Center (EMSC) said, as reported by Reuters.
According to the EMSC, the earlier earthquake had a magnitude of 4.8 and struck Aragua off the coast. According to the EMSC, a magnitude 4.8 earthquake struck off the coast of Aragua, Venezuela at a shallow depth of 10 km.
The tremors occurred about 70 km west of Caracas and 42 km north of Maracay, the country’s two largest cities.
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
A 5.6-magnitude earthquake struck off the coast of Aragua, Venezuela, just hours after a 4.8-magnitude tremor shook the same area.
Many residents reported a limited presence of government rescue teams, leading them to rely on neighbors and volunteers to search for trapped victims.
The twin earthquakes have already left more than 1,400 dead, with more than 51,000 reported missing, with a severe impact on the affected communities.
Yes, experts say there is a significant risk of aftershocks, with more than 190 recorded since the two quakes, some felt by residents.
International rescue teams from at least 17 countries are mobilizing to help, with the United States already providing assistance and deploying specialized personnel and resources.
There were no immediate reports of other casualties or major damage after Saturday’s offshore earthquake.
A fresh jolt shakes the earthquake-stricken nation
The latest quakes come as Venezuela is still reeling from twin catastrophic earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck three days earlier, leveling buildings, crippling infrastructure and overwhelming emergency services.
The death toll exceeded 1,400
Officials said the death toll from Wednesday’s twin earthquakes had risen to 1,430, with 3,238 people injured.
Families report nearly 68,900 people missing, with search and rescue teams racing against time to find survivors trapped under collapsed buildings.
The coastal state of La Guaira remains among the worst-affected regions, with residents continuing to dig through rubble using shovels, ropes, heavy equipment and even their bare hands.
International rescue efforts are expanding
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said rescue teams from at least 17 countries were being mobilized to help Venezuelan authorities.
The United States began delivering aid after resuming operations on one runway at Simón Bolívar International Airport, allowing military transport planes carrying rescue personnel and humanitarian supplies to land.
A US naval vessel also arrived off the Venezuelan coast to support relief efforts.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that up to 6.76 million people could be in need of emergency assistance, including shelter, clean water, sanitation, health care and basic supplies.
The survivors are frustrated
As relief efforts continue, frustration is mounting with what many residents describe as a slow and inadequate government response.
Many families have relied on volunteers and neighbors rather than official rescue teams to find loved ones trapped under collapsed buildings.
The disaster has further burdened Venezuela, which was already struggling with years of economic hardship, weakened public services and political instability before the earthquake.
Read also | Another magnitude 4.9 earthquake Venezuela, death toll exceeds 900
