Death Toll Rises in Venezuela After Powerful Earthquakes: At Least 235 Dead

[Anchor]

The scale of the damage from the series of earthquakes that struck Venezuela on the afternoon of the 24th (local time) continues to grow. As of now, the confirmed death toll has surpassed 235, with over 4,300 people injured. There are also growing concerns that more than 40,000 people may be missing.

Reporter Kwak Sang-eun has the story.

[Reporter]

People are seen fleeing in desperation amidst the roar of collapsing buildings and swirling dust storms.

It has been two days since back-to-back earthquakes with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 struck the northern Caribbean coast of Venezuela, and desperate rescue operations are underway.

[Caracas Resident: The walls were shaking, and it felt like I was underwater. It was like being on a boat that was rocking in the water.]

As search efforts continue, the number of casualties is rising rapidly.

At least 235 deaths have been confirmed so far, and the number of injured has surged to 4,300.

At least 250 buildings have been damaged, and it is reported that 200 people remain trapped under the rubble.

While not yet confirmed by authorities, more than 46,000 people have been reported missing on a website set up locally to track the missing.

Fortunately, it has been confirmed that there are no South Korean casualties.

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has estimated a 40% probability that the death toll from these earthquakes could reach between 10,000 and 100,000, and a 14% probability that it could exceed 100,000.

This is because the back-to-back magnitude 7+ earthquakes occurred at relatively shallow depths of 21.9 km and 10 km, respectively, causing significant impact on the surface.

[Maria Alejandra: When I finally made it to the floor below, the scene before my eyes was like something out of a horror movie. I had to crawl through the rubble to get out.]

The high number of casualties is also attributed to the many vulnerable buildings that lacked seismic design.

As the Venezuelan government declares a state of national emergency, support for rescue operations is pouring in from the United States, neighboring Latin American countries, and Europe.

(Video Editing: Choi Hye-ran)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.