Venezuela earthquakes leave 188 dead and 1,520 injured

Two powerful earthquakes of magnitude 7.5 and 7.2 struck central Venezuela on Wednesday, killing at least 188 people and injuring 1,520, according to official counts Source: infobae. The coastal state of La Guaira, home to Caracas' main airport, was the hardest hit, with numerous buildings reduced to rubble and declared a "natural disaster zone" by acting President Delcy Rodríguez Source: hoydo.

The toll

• 2,927 families displaced, 157 people reported missing, and 200 trapped Source: hoydo, infobae.
• At least 250 buildings and eight hospitals were damaged, some of which had to be evacuated Source: hoydo.
• Over 138 aftershocks have been recorded, complicating rescue efforts Source: infobae.

Response and aftermath

Authorities announced a $200 million fund drawn from Venezuela's reserves at the IMF for reconstruction and housing Source: hoydo. However, residents in La Guaira described a slow official response, with many taking rescue efforts into their own hands . Looting was also reported . The disaster compounds the region's trauma, which suffered deadly floods in 1999.