The death toll from the powerful twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela has risen to at least 589, with nearly 3,000 people injured as rescue crews continue searching for thousands believed to be trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
Acting President Delcy Rodríguez announced the updated casualty figures on Friday, saying authorities are working around the clock to locate survivors. The 7.2- and 7.5-magnitude earthquakes struck Wednesday evening, causing widespread devastation across northern Venezuela, with the coastal state of La Guaira suffering the heaviest damage.
“We are going to rescue the people who are trapped,” Rodríguez said as she welcomed international rescue teams arriving to assist with search operations. The government has deployed military personnel to La Guaira to support rescue efforts and distribute food, water and emergency supplies.
Officials expect the death toll to rise further as thousands remain unaccounted for and emergency crews continue searching through collapsed buildings.
Scenes across Caracas and La Guaira reflected the scale of the destruction, with flattened buildings, cracked roads and families desperately searching for missing loved ones. Residents in many neighbourhoods joined rescue efforts themselves, digging through debris while waiting for heavy equipment to arrive.
Hospitals have been overwhelmed as rescuers continue pulling survivors from the rubble, including children. State television broadcast dramatic rescue operations showing victims being extracted from collapsed buildings after spending hours trapped beneath concrete.
The International Organization for Migration estimates that as many as 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster, including roughly two million in the capital, Caracas. Aid organizations say many residents remain too frightened to return to damaged homes because of ongoing aftershocks.
The Venezuelan government has declared a state of emergency and announced a US$200-million reconstruction fund to repair hospitals, homes and critical infrastructure damaged by the earthquakes.
International assistance continues to arrive, with approximately 1,000 emergency responders from 25 search-and-rescue teams deploying from around the world. Rescue crews from Spain, Germany, Chile, Switzerland, Mexico, El Salvador and the Dominican Republic have already reached Venezuela, while Turkey, China, Qatar, Brazil, Portugal, Canada and the United States have pledged additional support.
The U.S. Geological Survey said both earthquakes were centred near Morón on Venezuela’s Caribbean coast, about 170 kilometres west of Caracas. Experts say the shallow depth and close timing of the two powerful earthquakes significantly amplified the destruction.
Search-and-rescue operations remain ongoing as authorities race against time to locate survivors buried beneath the rubble.
