Race Against the Clock as Death Toll Climbs in Venezuela After Two Major Earthquakes

The death toll attributed to a pair of major earthquakes in Venezuela on Wednesday continues to rise as officials warn that the worst may be yet to come. Here is the latest on the search and recovery efforts happening right now in Venezuela.

Death Toll Climbs into the Hundreds in Venezuela

The fatality count in Venezuela is likely to climb significantly in the days ahead as search and rescue crews comb through the rubble left after back-to-back earthquakes. As of the late Thursday update by Health Minister Carlos Alvarado, at least 235 deaths have been blamed on the duo of quakes that rocked the South American country on Wednesday afternoon.

In addition to the rising death toll, Venezuela's health minister has also confirmed that at least 4,300 people have been injured. The initial quake registered at a magnitude 7.2 near San Felipe, the capital of Yaracuy state, at 6:04 pm ET. It was just 39 seconds later that a larger 7.5 magnitude event shook the region about 23 kilometers southeast of Yumare.

Local officials have said that the coastal state of La Guaira is the epicenter of the damage. This part of the country is home to Simón Bolívar International Airport, as well as one of the largest seaports to serve Venezuela. La Guaira has been declared a disaster zone. Included in the damage is the destruction of a waterfront hotel located in the city of Macuto.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the magnitude 7.5 earthquake was the most powerful to hit the impoverished nation in more than a century. You have to go back to October 29, 1900, to find the last time a quake of this degree struck Venezuela. Most recently, a magnitude 7.3 earthquake hit an area near Carupano on August 21, 2018.

Local officials have confirmed that thousands of people are still reported as missing. Many of these people are trapped beneath the rubble, prompting an urgent rescue effort as the clock ticks away. A lack of communication at the hands of the destroyed infrastructure has left Venezuelans living abroad desperately searching for answers about their loved ones.

Thousands of Venezuelans have been left with nowhere to go after their homes were destroyed. The hardest hit areas include the capital city of Caracas and the port city of La Guaira. Residents who still have homes standing camped out in parks overnight on Thursday in Caracas out of fear of further collapse due to aftershocks.