The death toll of victims from the two devastating earthquakes in Venezuela continues to rise dramatically, as the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced that the death toll now stands at 920.
This new estimate represents a significant increase compared to the previous official toll of 589 deaths, which had been announced by the country’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez.
Meanwhile, approximately 50,000 people remain missing, while rescuers continue to race against time to locate survivors beneath the rubble.
The United Nations warns that the consequences of the disaster could be enormous.
Zoe Brennan, a spokesperson for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) of the UN, stated that up to 6.76 million people may have been affected by the earthquakes, according to the latest estimates of the population and the extent of the damage.
Initial satellite analyses showed that 31.5% of the buildings in the coastal city of Catia La Mar, northwest of Caracas, have been damaged.
