Venezuelan National Assembly President Jorge Rodrigue announced on the evening of 26/6 that the death toll from the recent double earthquakes has risen to 920. This update comes as a United Nations official reported over 50,000 people are still missing. Rodrigue also confirmed the deployment of the Venezuelan military to La Guaira state, one of the areas most severely impacted by the disaster.

In response to the escalating crisis, Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello stated that the Venezuelan government would restrict travel to La Guaira state starting 20h on 26/6 (7h this morning Hanoi time). Earlier, interim President Delcy Rodriguez urged residents to avoid the region north of the capital, Caracas.

Rescue forces remove a victim's body from the rubble in Caracas, Venezuela on 26/6. *AP*

Tom Fletcher, United Nations (UN) Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, stated on the same day that the number of missing persons exceeds 50,000, warning that the death toll is likely to increase further. "The current focus is on finding survivors and saving as many people as possible", he emphasized. However, the UN official also acknowledged the complexity of the emergency response, noting that rescue teams face significant risks due to potential aftershocks.

Nadiomar Polanco, head of the Chilean rescue team, conveyed a grim outlook to AFP, stating there is "little chance of finding survivors" in a collapsed building complex in La Guaira. "Unfortunately, they have completely collapsed", Polanco remarked, standing before 5 severely damaged buildings. The Chilean rescue team, among the first responders, is now primarily focused on "searching for the deceased", according to Polanco.

Rescue teams and residents search for people buried in the rubble in La Guaira, Venezuela, on 26/6. *AP*

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) provided details on the seismic events: the first earthquake, measuring 7,2 magnitude, struck on the evening of 24/6. Its epicenter was 22 km deep, near San Felipe, the capital of Yaracuy state. A second tremor, with a magnitude of 7,5, followed just 39 seconds later, with its epicenter 10 km deep and located approximately 5-10 km from the first.

Globally, many nations have pledged humanitarian aid and rescue support to Venezuela. The United States announced the deployment of two warships, transport aircraft, and helicopters, alongside mobilizing 150 million USD in aid. Washington also suspended economic sanctions against Caracas, aiming to facilitate relief operations.

Thanh Tam (According to AFP)