50,000 Missing, 900 Dead: Venezuela Faces 'Living Hell' After Massive Earthquakes

[Anchor]

The death toll from the series of powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has continued to rise, surpassing 900 in just two days. The United Nations estimates that more than 50,000 people are missing, as the scene on the ground remains as devastating as a war zone.

Reporter Jung Hye-jin has the story.

[Reporter]

On the second day since the earthquakes struck, the northern port city of La Guaira, which suffered the most severe damage, remains in ruins with buildings collapsed everywhere due to the impact of the magnitude 7 series of tremors.

The death toll has exceeded 900 in just two days.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced that the number of confirmed deaths from the massive quakes has risen to 920.

He added that the number of injured has increased to 3,360, and the number of displaced people has surpassed 4,000.

This marks an increase of over 300 deaths in just a few hours from the government's official count of 589.

As military personnel and international rescue teams are deployed for search and rescue operations, the number of casualties is rising sharply.

[Dayana Delgado/Earthquake Victim: It is hopeless. I want to know where my child is. Whether they are trapped or in a shelter. It is truly hopeless.]

More than 46,000 people have been registered as missing on an unofficial tracking website.

With casualties surging, bodies that could not be transported in time have been seen lying temporarily on the streets, and due to a lack of hospital facilities, the injured are being treated on the dirt floors of hospital courtyards rather than in indoor beds.

Displaced residents are also unable to stay indoors due to fears of aftershocks and additional collapses, forcing them to remain on streets, in parks, and in public squares.

While the death toll is rising rapidly, news of successful rescues remains scarce.

This is because the country lacks even basic heavy equipment to carry out rescue operations, as its economy has collapsed under long-standing Western sanctions.

[Delcy Rodriguez/Acting President of Venezuela: We have requested assistance from the international community. We are holding onto hope and praying for the lives of all Venezuelan citizens.]

The United Nations estimates that more than 50,000 people are missing due to the earthquakes, fueling growing concerns that the total number of casualties will continue to climb.

Video by So Ji-hye
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.