Caracas(Venezuela), 30 June (H.S.): Massive destruction continues across Venezuela five days after two powerful earthquakes struck the South American nation. The death toll has risen to 1,719, while 5,034 people have been injured and thousands remain missing. Rescue and relief operations are continuing on a war footing, although persistent aftershocks and heavily damaged buildings are hampering efforts.

According to CNN, National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on Monday that at least 1,719 people have lost their lives, while 5,034 others have been injured. Thousands of people are still unaccounted for. The two powerful earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck on Wednesday evening and were also felt in neighbouring Colombia. They are regarded as the most devastating earthquakes to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

Rodríguez said the United States Geological Survey (USGS) estimates there is a 44 per cent probability that the final death toll could reach or exceed 10,000. He added that at least 22,619 people have been affected by the disaster. A total of 855 buildings have sustained damage, including 189 that have completely collapsed. Since the initial earthquakes, authorities have recorded 609 aftershocks, including one that was felt by residents on Monday morning.

International humanitarian and disaster relief teams have begun arriving in Venezuela to support ongoing rescue operations. Thousands of people have been left homeless, with the worst destruction reported in La Guaira state, the capital Caracas, and surrounding areas.

Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that an Israeli disaster relief team will depart for Venezuela on Tuesday. The delegation will include ministry officials and personnel from Israel's Home Front Command, with experts from the National Emergency Management Authority expected to join later. The humanitarian mission is particularly significant as Israel and Venezuela have not maintained diplomatic relations for several years.

Authorities in Caracas have adopted a traffic light system to assess structural damage to buildings. The Chacao Mayor's Office has begun inspections, particularly in the Los Palos Grandes neighbourhood. Buildings marked with a green label have been declared safe for occupancy, yellow indicates moderate structural damage requiring further assessment, while red signifies that entering the building is unsafe.

The scale of destruction is visible across Venezuela, from severely cracked building facades to large fissures running through roads and public infrastructure. Several neighbourhoods and damaged buildings have been closed to the public until detailed structural inspections are completed.

Acting President Delcy Rodríguez said engineers and structural experts are assessing homes in La Guaira, Miranda and Caracas to determine whether they remain habitable. She added that the government is also preparing housing plans for thousands of families displaced by the disaster.

Despite the widespread devastation, rescue teams have reported moments of hope, including the successful rescue of a newborn baby and a woman who had remained trapped beneath debris for three days. Authorities believe that the arrival of additional international rescue teams and humanitarian assistance will strengthen ongoing relief operations and help address urgent humanitarian needs.

Meanwhile, a rapid damage assessment based on satellite radar data by researchers, using imagery from the European Space Agency's Sentinel-1 satellite, estimates that approximately 58,870 buildings across central and northern Venezuela have been damaged or destroyed by the twin earthquakes. The preliminary assessment was conducted by researchers Corey Scher and Jamon Van Den Hoek, providing one of the earliest comprehensive estimates of the disaster's impact.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar