MADRID, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Nineteen Spanish citizens have died in the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela last Wednesday, Spanish authorities confirmed on Tuesday.

An excavator works on a collapsed building in Chacao, Venezuela, on June 28, 2026. (Photo: Xinhua)

A further 12 Spanish citizens have been located beneath the rubble, while 131 more remain missing, said Jose Manuel Albares, Spain's minister for foreign affairs, European Union and cooperation.

By Monday, the death toll from the earthquakes, measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5, had risen to 1,719, with 5,034 injured, and is expected to climb further.

Tens of thousands have lost their homes, and the United Nations estimates that around 6.8 million of Venezuela's approximately 30 million inhabitants have been affected in some way, such as being displaced or losing access to electricity or water.

Spain is among a number of nations that have sent aid to Venezuela, with 54 members of the Military Emergency Unit and dogs trained in detecting people trapped under the rubble, flying to Venezuela last Thursday.