Death Toll from Venezuelan Earthquake Rises to 920

More than 900 people have died in a series of earthquakes in Venezuela within two days.

On June 26, Jorge Rodriguez, the President of the National Assembly, announced in a televised address that the death toll had risen to 920. He also reported that the number of injured had increased to 3,360, with over 4,000 people displaced.

This increase in fatalities came just hours after Acting President Delsy Rodriguez had reported 589 confirmed deaths.

The rising casualty figures are attributed to the deployment of military personnel and international rescue teams to assist in recovery efforts.

Rodriguez stated that 1,423 buildings across the country have been identified as damaged, noting that both residential structures and facilities such as hospitals and commercial establishments have been severely affected.

He emphasized that over 2 million food rations have been distributed to support citizens and families impacted by the earthquake.

Meanwhile, the United Nations has reported that more than 50,000 people are missing as a result of the disaster. Tom Fletcher, the UN's Assistant Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief, told AFP that the search for survivors among the rubble will be a monumental task due to the high number of missing persons.