CARACAS, June 26. /Dunyo IA/. Number of people killed as a result of two powerful earthquakes in northern Venezuela has risen to 235, with at least 4,300 injured, reports Dunyo IA correspondent, citing The Associated Press.

Health Minister Carlos Alvarado said that around 235 people were brought to medical facilities already deceased or died upon arrival. He added that the number of casualties and injured is likely to increase, as thousands of people are still reported missing.

It should be noted that seismic tremors with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5 occurred on the evening of June 24, one minute apart. The epicenters were located off the northern coast of the country, west of the city of Morón, at depths ranging from 10 to 22 kilometers. The earthquakes were the strongest in the country’s history over more than a century and were felt throughout the region, including the Amazon areas of Brazil.

The biggest destruction was recorded in the coastal La Guaira region, where the country’s main airport is also located, which was temporarily closed due to damage. Rescue services were deployed to the hardest-hit areas, but local residents reported a shortage of heavy equipment and attempts to clear rubble on their own.

Witnesses described chaotic conditions at the disaster sites: victims were being pulled from under debris, including children and animals. In some cases, rescuers found survivors under concrete slabs and tried to free them. Many Venezuelans were at home during the earthquake, as the country was marking the anniversary of the Battle of Carabobo (1821), when Simón Bolívar’s army defeated Spanish forces and secured Venezuela’s independence.

Other countries and international organizations are joining the humanitarian efforts. In particular, the United States announced 150 million US dollars in financial assistance and is sending search and rescue teams to Venezuela.

“High casualties and extensive damage are probable and the disaster is likely widespread,” said the U.S. Geological Survey, noting that preliminary estimates suggest the death toll could reach between 10,000 and 100,000.