MOSCOW, January 27 (RIA Novosti) - Venezuelan authorities decided to evacuate all inmates of the Uribana jail, where dozens of people were killed in a riot on Friday, Penitentiary Services Minister Iris Varela said on Saturday.

“We decided that a total evacuation is necessary,” Varela was quoted as saying by the Caracas-based El Nacional newspaper.

The minister added that the purpose of the evacuation was to “close this chapter of violence.”

By Saturday evening, 138 female and 111 male inmates have been taken out of the prison.

The riot was apparently triggered by an inspection of the National Guard troops, who attempted to search for firearms.

Health authorities in the western Venezuelan city of Barquisimeto where the prison is located reporting deaths of 61 people. Local media reports said about 120 people were injured.

(Updated: death toll in the last paragraph)