Fresh earthquake rattles wrecked Venezuela

A fresh earthquake struck northern Venezuela on Friday (June 26), compounding the devastation wrought by two powerful tremors earlier this week.

The European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC) said Friday's 4.9-magnitude quake hit 61 kilometres northwest of the city of Maracay — the latest aftershock to jolt a country still reeling from Wednesday's catastrophic double strike of 7.2 and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes.

However, no additional casualties from Friday's tremor have been reported so far.

The human toll from Wednesday's earthquakes is staggering and still rising. At least 920 people have been confirmed dead, with the Venezuelan government reporting more than 3,360 injured and over 172 people still trapped beneath collapsed structures. The missing figure has already exceeded 50,000.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) has warned that the final death toll could surpass 10,000, as hundreds remain buried under debris across the worst-hit areas. Parts of the capital Caracas have been left in ruins.

Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello announced Friday that access to some areas of La Guaira state — the hardest-hit region — will be restricted to aid coordination efforts. On the streets, desperate residents have formed their own rescue teams, using private vehicles as makeshift ambulances to ferry the wounded.

Jennifer Palacios, 25, whose six-year-old son and five other relatives remain trapped under rubble, pleaded for heavy machinery. "Only the local community has managed to pull people out alive," she said. "We need cranes to move the concrete slabs. There are still so many people inside."

In a rare concession, the Venezuelan government has lifted its block on X — in place since the disputed 2024 presidential election — to facilitate emergency communications and rescue coordination.

The full scale of the disaster is still becoming clear as search operations continue across multiple states.