At least 32 people have lost their lives and more than 700 have been injured in Venezuela after the double earthquake of magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale registered in the north of the country. This was communicated by the acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, who warned that the toll does not yet include the figures from the state of La Guaira, which she described as a "disaster zone" with "dozens of collapsed buildings".
"At this hour we have reports of 32 deaths, without yet counting the figures that the state of La Guaira may yield, and more than 700 injured whom we have been receiving in emergency from both public hospitals and private health centers," the acting president announced in a speech to the nation.
In her televised address, Rodríguez stressed that "the state most affected by this unprecedented seismic phenomenon is the state of La Guaira," where there are "dozens of collapsed buildings." "We can say that the state of La Guaira is a true tragedy and it becomes a disaster zone," she detailed, alluding to the magnitude of the damage in the coastal region.
Faced with what she described as an "unprecedented seismic phenomenon" due to the double tremor, she reiterated that rescue efforts are underway. "We are currently engaged in very arduous rescue efforts to save the lives that God allows us to save," she indicated, highlighting the effort of the emergency teams deployed in the hardest-hit areas.
After expressing her condolences to the affected families, the leader explained that "hotels and shelters" have been set up for those who have lost their homes or whose homes have been seriously damaged by the earthquake. She also announced the suspension of classes and "non-essential" public services for the duration of the emergency.
In this way, and in the face of the "very hard hours" the country is experiencing, the interim Venezuelan president urged the population to act with "national unity" and "calm." "Let us know that united we will overcome this tragedy. A tragedy that today mourns many Venezuelan families, but know that Venezuela is also receiving the love of the peoples of the world," she said, calling for social cohesion in the face of the disaster.
SUPPORT TEAMS FROM DOZENS OF COUNTRIES
In his message, Rodríguez has thanked the contacts maintained with the United States and has especially highlighted the attention of the president, Donald Trump, to the natural disaster, as well as the communications with other countries of the American continent, remarking that several governments are preparing the sending of rescue teams.
Apart from Washington, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, and Mexico have committed to sending rescuers, he indicated, after holding calls with the respective presidents, Luis Abinader, Nayib Bukele, and Claudia Sheinbaum.
He also pointed out that countries such as Qatar, Brazil, or China have offered support, as have Caribbean neighbors such as Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Saint Lucia, and Dominica, which have shown their willingness to collaborate in the rescue and recovery efforts.