Venezuela earthquake death toll rises to 1,943; over 10,000 injured

The death toll from the two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela last week has risen to 1943 while more than 10000 people have been injured according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez Rescue teams continue to search for survivors as authorities expand relief operations in some of the countrys worsthit regionsThe Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency in the affected areas and mobilised the armed forces to support rescue relief and rehabilitation efforts Temporary shelters have been established for displaced families while medical teams are treating thousands of injured residentsDeath toll continues to climbAddressing the nation Rodriguez said the number of fatalities has increased significantly as emergency responders continue clearing debris and reaching previously inaccessible areasAuthorities said thousands of people have also been displaced after homes and public buildings were damaged or destroyed in the earthquakesGovernment agencies are continuing searchandrescue operations with emergency personnel working around the clock to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed structuresFresh aftershock triggers panicEven as relief operations continue a 42magnitude earthquake struck near Caracas and La Guaira on Monday morning causing panic among residents already traumatised by last weeks disasterAccording to the Venezuelan Foundation for Seismological Research the epicentre of the latest tremor was located in the Caribbean Sea around 10 kilometres off the coast of La Guaira state one of the regions worst affected by the earlier earthquakesThe aftershock occurred at approximately 930 am local timeResidents in Caracas and the coastal city of La Guaira rushed out of homes offices and commercial buildings as tremors were felt across the region Many gathered in parks and open spaces amid fears of further structural collapsesWe are terrified We have not slept properly since Wednesday Every tremor makes us run out said Maria Lopez a resident of La Guaira speaking to local mediaNo new damage reported after latest tremorDespite widespread panic authorities said the latest earthquake did not cause any additional casualties or significant structural damageWe have no reports of additional damage anywhere in the national territory Rodriguez said after the tremor urging citizens to remain calm and follow official safety instructionsOfficials continue to monitor seismic activity closely as aftershocks remain possible following the two major earthquakes that struck the country last weekRescue and relief operations intensifyEmergency workers remain engaged in largescale rescue operations across the affected regionsEarlier authorities had reported that 774 buildings had either collapsed completely or suffered severe structural damage as a result of the two powerful earthquakesHeavy machinery specialised rescue teams and military personnel have been deployed to clear debris search damaged buildings and deliver humanitarian assistance to affected communitiesGovernment expands emergency responseThe Venezuelan government has appealed to residents to avoid entering damaged buildings until they have been declared structurally safe by engineersAuthorities have also established emergency helplines to assist affected families and coordinate relief efforts Residents living in coastal areas have been advised to remain alert and move to higher ground if necessary as a precaution against any potential tsunamirelated risksOfficials said relief operations damage assessments and rehabilitation work will continue over the coming days as the country responds to one of its deadliest natural disasters in recent yearsWith inputs from IANS