The number of people killed in the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday has risen to 920, the Venezuelan government has confirmed.
According to a government statement cited by Reuters, at least 3,360 people have been injured, while 172 remain trapped beneath collapsed structures. More than 50,000 others are still unaccounted for.
The authorities said the earthquakes caused extensive destruction in parts of the capital, Caracas, and nearby communities.v
Earlier official figures had put the death toll at 235.
The two earthquakes, which measured 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck Venezuela last Wednesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. On Friday, another tremor measuring 4.9 magnitude was recorded off the country’s northern coast.
In response to the disaster, the United Nations said Venezuela would require a large-scale humanitarian response to recover from the devastation. The organisation also appealed for urgent international assistance to support rescue and relief efforts.
