Death toll from Venezuela earthquakes rises to 920, says congress president

La Guaira/ Caracas: The official death toll from twin earthquakes that flattened parts of Caracas and surrounding areas rose to 920, lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez, president of the national assembly, said on Friday.

The government ‌has estimated ⁠hundreds ⁠of people still trapped and missing nearly two days after ​magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 tremors struck about 160 km (100 miles) west ​of Caracas.

A website set up to take reports of people still unaccounted for had over 50,000 ​listed as of midday on Friday. ⁠The UN's ‌aid chief gave a similar tally.


Foreign ​rescue teams ​and aid began arriving on Friday, ⁠as desperate Venezuelans and a growing number ​of foreign volunteers raced to find survivors ​trapped under rubble.

Rodriguez said 871 international rescue workers were in the country on Friday afternoon. Countries sending crews include Mexico, El Salvador and Spain.

The U.S. Geological Survey has predicted high potential for ‌more than 10,000 deaths, which would place the quakes among the deadliest earthquakes in ​Latin America ​in the last ⁠century.