Caracas: The Venezuelan government said at least 920 people have been killed and 3,360 injured after twin earthquakes measuring 7.2 and 7.5 on the Richter scale struck Caracas and surrounding areas on Wednesday evening. Authorities added that 172 people remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings, while reports suggest more than 50,000 people are still missing.

The crisis deepened after a fresh 4.9-magnitude earthquake struck on Thursday afternoon, with tremors felt across the capital Caracas and the neighbouring city of Maracay, raising fears among survivors and complicating ongoing rescue operations.

Foreign search-and-rescue teams and emergency aid have begun arriving in the affected areas, joining local authorities in the desperate effort to locate survivors as the critical rescue window narrows.

According to a United Nations assessment, the twin earthquakes have caused an estimated $6.7 billion in direct damage. The second quake, measuring 7.5 magnitude, is reported to be the strongest earthquake to hit Venezuela in more than a century.

The U.S. Geological Survey has warned that the final death toll could exceed 10,000, potentially making the disaster one of the deadliest earthquakes to strike Latin America in over a century.

Meanwhile, the UN’s migration agency estimates that nearly seven million people could be affected by the disaster and has stepped up relief efforts by providing emergency shelters, essential supplies and humanitarian assistance to displaced communities.