WASHINGTON, June 30. /TASS/. More than 58,800 buildings were completely destroyed or damaged as a result of the earthquake that struck Venezuela on June 24, according to data obtained by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) after analyzing satellite images.
"Approximately 58,870 buildings were likely damaged or destroyed across the affected region," the report on the findings states.
NASA stressed that the damage assessments are still preliminary and are based on a visual analysis of changes on the surface. The data still has to be confirmed through field visits to the affected areas and on-site inspections of the damage.
The earthquake struck Venezuela on the evening of June 24. Two series of tremors, with magnitudes ranging from 7.2 to 7.5, were recorded approximately 40 seconds from each other. Their epicenters were located 10 km apart in the Venezuelan state of Yaracuy. According to the latest official figures, 1,719 people were killed and 5,034 were injured, with a total of 22,616 victims registered in hospitals, field medical centers, and triage stations.
