Venezuela quake death toll climbs as rescue efforts struggle

Firefighters searched collapsed buildings with cellphone lights while hospitals in Venezuela’s quake zone ran without running water as the death toll climbed to about 235 and the rescue effort strained under power cuts, damaged roads and a shortage of equipment.

The two main earthquakes, magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck about 30 seconds apart at around 6 p.m. local time on June 24 in the country’s central-northern region. The epicenter was near Yumare in Yaracuy State, and La Guaira, Caracas, Carabobo, Falcón and Miranda were among the hardest-hit areas.

By June 25 and 26, Venezuela’s health minister said more than 4,300 people had been injured, up from an official count of 164 dead and more than 970 injured the day before. More than 41,000 people were listed missing through an online portal, and the International Organization for Migration estimated that as many as 6.8 million people could be affected as rescuers kept searching collapsed buildings.

More than 30 aftershocks were recorded by June 25, while electricity, water and telecommunications failures were slowing health teams trying to reach damaged facilities. Firefighters were using cellphone lights because flashlights were scarce.

La Guaira became the center of the crisis. The coastal state, home to Venezuela’s main international airport, was declared a disaster zone after damage forced the airport to close, complicating the arrival of aid and heavy equipment. In the area, residents were digging through rubble with their hands because machinery was in short supply, and some debris caught fire overnight even after domestic gas service was cut.

The government counted 250 buildings damaged or destroyed, mostly in La Guaira. The U.S. Treasury later waived some sanctions until Oct. 23 to allow earthquake-relief transactions.