Caracas, June 25 -- United Nations experts on Thursday urged Venezuela to "immediately" unblock access to social media platforms and news networks, describing the current situation as a "life-and-death" scramble for details after devastating twin earthquakes struck the country.

The death toll in the South American country has climbed to at least 164, while 971 others have been confirmed injured, acting Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez said in an update early today.

According to CNN, authorities fear that the actual number of fatalities could be significantly higher due to the vast number of destroyed and damaged buildings, as emergency teams press on with search and rescue operations. Rodriguez noted that the region has been rattled...