Venezuela was struck by another earthquake on Friday, adding to fears in a country still reeling from the devastating twin earthquakes that have claimed at least 920 lives and left tens of thousands missing.
According to Reuters, the latest earthquake measured 4.9 in magnitude and was felt in the capital Caracas as well as Maracaibo. While there were no immediate reports of casualties or major damage from the latest tremor, it came just two days after powerful 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes devastated large parts of northern Venezuela.
The twin quakes, the strongest to hit the country in more than a century, flattened homes, damaged roads, bridges and public infrastructure, and triggered widespread panic across the northern coastal regions, including La Guaira and Caracas.
Earlier on Friday, Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, said the death toll had risen to at least 920, while nearly 50,000 people remain missing, raising fears that the number of fatalities could increase significantly as rescue operations continue.
"Each person saved is a miracle," Rodríguez said, adding that authorities would be transparent about "the magnitude of this tragedy."
The scale of the disaster has prompted growing international concern. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that as many as 6.76 million people could be affected by the earthquakes, including nearly 2 million residents of Caracas.
The United Nations has also warned of the humanitarian impact on children, saying an estimated 3.9 million children live in the affected areas. UNICEF teams are supporting relief efforts alongside Venezuelan authorities.
The United States said specialised search-and-rescue teams equipped with firefighters, doctors, structural engineers and trained search dogs have been deployed to assist operations in the worst-hit regions.
India has also launched Operation Amistad, dispatching two Indian Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft carrying more than 35 tonnes of humanitarian relief supplies, including medicines, medical equipment, two BHISHM Cubes for emergency medical care, and a 41-member rescue team comprising personnel from the Indian Army Field Hospital Unit.
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