Interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced the figures today, providing an update on the double earthquake that occurred the previous day. Approximately 30 aftershocks were recorded following the two quakes. The international airport near the capital, Caracas, was forced to close due to severe damage, which could hinder rescue efforts.

Rodriguez stated that the US and several European countries are deploying search and rescue teams to Venezuela. United Nations-certified experts are also en route to the South American nation to assist in finding survivors.

Several other countries, including Vietnam, India, Brazil, China, and Iran, have also offered assistance.

A section of the international airport near Caracas collapsed due to the double earthquake on 24/6. Video: CNN, BBC

The first earthquake, a magnitude 7,2 tremor, struck approximately 160 km west of Venezuela's capital, Caracas, on the evening of 24/6, with its epicenter at a depth of 22 km. Less than a minute later, a second, more powerful earthquake of magnitude 7,5 occurred a few kilometers away, with an epicenter at a depth of 10 km. This marks Venezuela's strongest earthquake since 1900.

Authorities initially reported at least 32 deaths and over 700 injuries, but this count did not include victims from the coastal state of La Guaira, the area most severely affected.

"We have nothing, not even the strength or courage to go inside," said Larry Rojas, a 49-year-old resident, standing outside a collapsed building in Catia La Mar, a coastal city in La Guaira state. Rojas's family was trapped inside the structure.

Catia La Mar experienced a power outage after the earthquake, forcing many residents to sleep on the streets or search for loved ones throughout the night. Numerous residential areas in La Guaira developed large cracks and suffered collapsed walls, with dozens of buildings destroyed.

"There are people still alive in there, and no one is coming to save them," a woman stated, awaiting news of her daughter buried in the rubble of a 12-story building.

The aftermath of the earthquake in Venezuela's capital, Caracas, on 25/6. Photo: AP

Venezuelan interior minister Diosdado Cabello urged residents to evacuate their homes, adding that gas supplies to some structures were cut as a precautionary measure. "Some buildings are damaged, and we do not want any gas-related accidents to occur," he explained.

The double earthquake in Venezuela also affected Colombia's capital, Bogota, causing sirens to sound and some residents to evacuate buildings.

Venezuela is prone to earthquakes. The country's most powerful recent earthquakes occurred in the northeast in 1997 and in Caracas in 1967, resulting in 73 and 236 fatalities, respectively.

Pham Giang (according to AFP)