Magnitude 4.6 Aftershock Hits Venezuela, Forcing Residents Into the Streets

[Financial News] More than 1,700 people have died in a major twin earthquake, and just five days later, a powerful aftershock struck northern Venezuela, sending residents fleeing into the streets in fear.
On the 29th local time, AP and AFP reported that the United States Geological Survey measured the aftershock, which hit Caracas and the nearby port city of La Guaira, at magnitude 4.6.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, said there were no immediate reports of additional damage. However, the earthquake sirens and tremors that rang out before dawn plunged the city back into intense panic.
A resident of Caracas said, "I woke up while sleeping because of the shaking," and said it felt as strong as the earthquake on the 24th.
In Altamira and San Bernardino, the areas of Caracas hit hardest by the quake, residents fearing further collapses poured out of temporary shelters and apartment buildings. They pitched tents on the sidewalks and spent the night outside. Several sections of the Caracas metro were shut down again because weakened structures posed a risk of further collapse. In San Bernardino, work on a 22-unit apartment building that was completely destroyed by last week's earthquake was suspended.
Hundreds of displaced families were reported to have set up camp in Parque del Este in eastern Caracas.
International relief efforts are also moving quickly. The UN said it would provide 10,000 body bags to Venezuelan authorities in preparation for any additional deaths. Jean-Luc Rampolla del Tindaro, the UN coordinator in Venezuela, expressed concern, saying, "It is certain that the actual death toll is far higher than the official count currently being reported."
So far, the death toll stands at 1,719, and 5,034 people have been injured.
Although the golden time for rescuing survivors, the 72-hour window, has passed, hope remains in La Guaira State. On the 28th, a man and his teenage son were dramatically pulled from the rubble. Delcy Rodríguez, Venezuela's interim president, stressed, "We will never stop the search, as we rescued survivors again today."
But the outlook among rescue workers at the scene is bleak. A rescuer from El Salvador lamented, "At this point, the chances of finding bodies are higher than finding survivors."
As public anger grows over the government's slow response and lack of preparedness, looting is also spreading in La Guaira, a city near the airport. Residents strongly criticized the authorities, saying pharmacies and supermarkets were being ransacked and that relief efforts were slow and inadequate.
The International Organization for Migration estimated that as many as 6.76 million people may have been affected by the earthquake and said urgent support is needed for drinking water, sanitation, and health care. Venezuela, where the medical system and public services have already been paralyzed by more than a decade of economic collapse, appears likely to suffer a devastating blow from this worst earthquake in a century. The UN estimated that physical recovery costs would amount to $6.7 billion, or 6% of Venezuela's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The United States government also announced that it would double its aid to Venezuela from $150 million to $300 million.

jjyoon@fnnews.com Yoon Jae-joon Reporter