[Anchor]

The death toll from the powerful earthquake that struck Venezuela has risen to 188. As search and rescue operations are still in the early stages, some projections suggest the number of fatalities could exceed 100,000.

Reporter Kang Min-u has the story.

[Reporter]

Amid a deafening roar, buildings collapse and dust storms swirl as terrified people scream and scramble to evacuate.

Ceiling structures inside the international airport also come crashing down.

The earthquake struck the Caribbean coast of northern Venezuela at approximately 6:00 p.m. local time on June 24. A 7.2-magnitude quake hit 168 km west of the capital, Caracas, followed 39 seconds later by a 7.5-magnitude earthquake 45 km from the epicenter of the first.

[Caracas Resident: The walls were shaking, and it felt like I was underwater. It was as if a ship was shaking while submerged.]

As search and rescue operations continue, the number of casualties is rising rapidly.

So far, 188 deaths and 1,520 injuries have been confirmed. Additionally, 200 people are confirmed trapped and currently undergoing rescue efforts, while 157 remain missing.

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

The high casualty count is attributed to the back-to-back major earthquakes, both measuring over magnitude 7, and their relatively shallow depths of 21.9 km and 10 km, respectively, which caused 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 prevalence of vulnerable buildings lacking seismic design is also cited as a factor that exacerbated the casualties.

With the Venezuelan government declaring a national state of emergency, international aid is pouring in.

The United States has dispatched emergency rescue teams, while neighboring Latin American countries, including Mexico and Brazil, have sent military troops and rescue personnel.

European nations such as France and Spain, as well as the United Nations, have also pledged to send rescue teams.

(Video Editing: Park Chun-bae)