At least 164 people have been killed following a powerful earthquake that struck Venezuela, according to the country’s acting president, making it one of the deadliest seismic disasters in the nation’s recent history.

Officials also confirmed 971 injuries, with hospitals across affected regions treating large numbers of survivors as emergency services continue to respond.

The disaster followed a 7.5-magnitude earthquake, which struck shortly after a 7.2-magnitude foreshock, leaving widespread destruction in its wake. Authorities warn that the death toll is likely to rise as search-and-rescue teams continue to recover bodies from collapsed structures and reach remote or heavily damaged areas.

Government sources said the fatalities are concentrated in heavily impacted urban and rural zones where buildings collapsed and infrastructure was severely damaged. Rescue operations remain ongoing, with emergency teams working around the clock under difficult conditions.

Officials have cautioned that the final number of dead may increase as communication is restored and assessments expand across the hardest-hit regions. (ILKHA)