Venezuela declares emergency after twin earthquakes strike coast
Shafaq News- Caracas
Venezuelan authorities declared a state of emergency and designated the coastal state of La Guaira a disaster zone after two powerful earthquakes struck the country on June 24 and killed more than 200 people.
The two earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, struck minutes apart, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS), are among the South American country's worst disasters in more than a century. Authorities classified La Guaira, the hardest-hit area, as a disaster zone after dozens of buildings were destroyed.
A day after the tremors, emergency crews were racing to reach hundreds of people believed trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said Friday that hospitals had received 235 people who died before or upon arrival, and that more than 4,300 injured had been treated, including moderate and severe cases that required surgery.
In Caracas, residents formed long lines outside food stores and gas stations amid fears of shortages and rising prices, according to local media.
Amnesty International warned of the potentially devastating effects of the disaster on Venezuela's population and urged the country's authorities and the international community to do everything possible to provide relief to those affected.
La Guaira, a narrow coastal state bordering Caracas, is home to Venezuela's main international airport and seaport and serves as the principal gateway to the capital.
