The United Nations has confirmed that the death toll from the series of earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela on June 24 has risen to 589. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, with 50,000 people still reported missing.
Casualties and Missing Persons
Among the confirmed dead are nine Portuguese nationals, four Spaniards, two Brazilians, two Chinese, and one Italian-Venezuelan. Additionally, 56 Portuguese and 120 Spaniards remain unaccounted for. The earthquakes, which registered magnitudes between 7.2 and 7.5, have caused widespread devastation.
Worst-Hit Area: La Guaira
La Guaira is the hardest-hit region, where satellite images show rows of collapsed residential buildings. Looting incidents have been reported at a supermarket as residents await aid. International rescue teams and search dogs have arrived to assist in operations.
Worst Disaster in Over a Century
According to the UN, Venezuela is facing its worst calamity in more than a century. The disaster is compounded by the country's ongoing economic crisis and shortages of healthcare and other essential services. The 7.5-magnitude quake is the strongest to hit Venezuela since 1900. Tremors were felt in neighboring Colombia and several cities in northern Brazil.
