Interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced the casualty figures today during a televised meeting with civil and military officials. Health Minister Carlos Alvarado previously reported approximately 4,300 injuries.

Rubble piles high after the earthquake in La Guaira, Venezuela, 25/6. Photo: AP

Rescue teams are racing against time, using both heavy machinery and their bare hands to dig through rubble and free those trapped in the epicenter area west of Caracas. At one flattened building, rescuers used sledgehammers to break concrete slabs, calling for "absolute silence" to listen for cries for help from victims.

In La Guaira, the hardest hit state, Amparo del Giudice sifted through rubble with her bare hands, searching for her son. "Piles of bricks and stones, bare hands can do nothing", she said.

Elsewhere, local residents told AFP reporters that a young girl died after hours of calling for help, surrounded by the helplessness of those nearby. "We need more people, we need the military to help get her out", local resident Dani Rizo stated.

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) reported that the first earthquake, measuring 7.2 magnitude, struck on the evening of 24/6, with its epicenter at a depth of 22 km near San Felipe, the capital of Yaracuy state. A second quake, 7.5 magnitude, occurred 39 seconds later, with an epicenter at a depth of 10 km, located 5-10 km from the first.

This marks the strongest earthquake recorded in Venezuela in over a century.

A man searches for missing relatives in the rubble in La Guaira, Venezuela, 26/6. Photo: AP

Many nations worldwide have pledged personnel, financial aid, and essential supplies. Rescue teams from El Salvador, Switzerland, and Mexico are already on site.

The United States is deploying two warships, transport aircraft, and helicopters, while mobilizing a USD 150 million aid package. A senior US military official also arrived in Caracas to oversee relief efforts initiated by Washington.

Thanh Tam (According to AFP)