The death toll from the June 24 earthquakes in Venezuela has risen to 6,301, according to an official update released Monday by National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez.
The update, posted on the Telegram channel of Rodriguez, who also heads the command for temporary camps, said 287 homes had been delivered to people affected by the twin quakes.
Authorities have evaluated 53,314 homes, of which 31,336 were found to be habitable, 12,411 were classified as having restricted access due to damage, and another 9,567 homes were labeled as high-risk, the update said.
Venezuela was hit over six weeks ago by two earthquakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, with epicenters in the western state of Yaracuy and the central state of La Guaira, respectively.
Venezuela quake death toll rises to 6,301
Venezuela quake death toll rises to 6,301
A passenger flight from Colombia's capital Bogota to Cali, one of the worst-hit cities by the magnitude-7.5 earthquake on Monday, was forced to return mid-air on Tuesday due to the sudden closure of the airport in the disaster zone.
According to the Colombian Geological Service, the powerful earthquake struck western Colombia at 07:34 local time (1234 GMT) on Monday. Its epicenter was near San Jose del Palmar, in the department of Choco, at a depth of 96 km.
The death toll from the disaster has risen to 132 so far, with more than 570 others injured, the Colombian government said in its latest update on Tuesday.
According to the preliminary report, 32 cities across the country have been seriously affected, while five departmental capitals -- Pereira, Cali, Quibdo, Manizales and Armenia -- remain under red alert.
According to a China Media Group (CMG) correspondent, she and other passengers had initially waited for more than five hours at the El Dorado International Airport in Bogota before their flight to Cali, Colombia's third-largest city, finally took off. The airport serving Cali had been temporarily closed after the quake but was later reopened.
The journey, however, took an unexpected turn. Mid-flight, the pilot announced that Cali's airport had once again been shut down, citing technical issues. With no alternative landing site nearby, the aircraft was forced to turn around and return to Bogota.
The Colombian government has declared a state of national disaster to respond to the impact of the earthquake.
Flight to Colombia's quake-hit Cali forced to return amid airport shutdown
