Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 235, thousands still missing

The number of casualties is expected to rise as rescue operations continue. First responders are still pulling survivors and dead bodies, including children and animals, from the ruins of collapsed buildings.

Local residents are complaining about a limited number of government rescue teams and lack of heavy equipment to clear the debris. Many people have taken to the streets to dig through the rubble themselves in search of their relatives, AP reported.

The coastal region of La Guaira suffered the greatest destruction and the highest number of casualties. The country's main airport, located in the region, was closed due to damage, complicating aid delivery efforts.

Massive destruction has also been recorded in the nation's capital, Caracas, leaving hundreds of residents homeless. According to Acting President Delcy Rodríguez, parts of the capital remain without electricity and mobile communications, while metro operations have been suspended and gas supplies shut off.

In response to the devastation, the U.S. Department of the Treasury decided on June 25 to temporarily suspend certain sanctions against Venezuela until Oct. 23 to allow transactions related to providing humanitarian relief to earthquake victims, AP wrote.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the United States is "immediately" deploying large-scale search-and-rescue teams, medical resources, and other aid, despite logistics challenges caused by the closure of Venezuela's airport.

The June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela 

On the evening of June 24, Venezuela was rocked by two earthquakes: the first with a magnitude of 7.2, and the second — occurring less than a minute later — with a magnitude of 7.5. Many Venezuelans were at home at the time, as the country was celebrating a national holiday, Army Day.

The epicenters were recorded on the Caribbean coast, approximately 170 kilometers west of Caracas. The U.S. Geological Survey called the earthquakes the most powerful to hit Venezuela since 1900, and seismologists predict that the total death toll could rise to 10,000 people.

Rodríguez declared a state of emergency in Venezuela and stated that La Guaira state has become the "epicenter of the disaster."