The death toll from the devastating twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has risen to at least 1,430, as emergency crews continue a desperate search for survivors and millions of people face worsening humanitarian conditions.
Authorities and international aid agencies warned that the number of fatalities is expected to rise further as rescue operations continue across some of the country’s hardest-hit regions.
The powerful earthquakes, which struck less than a minute apart, caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, flattening homes, damaging critical infrastructure and leaving entire communities buried beneath rubble.
Emergency responders say the first 72 hours after a major earthquake are crucial for finding survivors trapped under collapsed buildings. Rescue teams have been working around the clock, often alongside local residents who have been digging through debris with their bare hands due to limited equipment.
One rare moment of hope emerged in the coastal state of La Guaira, just north of Caracas, where rescuers pulled a baby alive from the ruins of a collapsed apartment building more than 32 hours after the earthquakes struck.
A video widely shared on social media showed an emotional rescuer carrying the infant to safety as crowds celebrated the miracle rescue.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said search-and-rescue teams from at least 17 countries are preparing to assist Venezuela’s emergency response.
Meanwhile, the United States has begun delivering humanitarian assistance after relief flights landed in Caracas.
Officials confirmed that Simón Bolívar International Airport has resumed limited operations, allowing U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft carrying emergency supplies and personnel to land. A U.S. naval vessel has also arrived off Venezuela’s coast to support relief efforts.
Interim Venezuelan leader Delcy Rodríguez sought to reassure citizens that international assistance was arriving.
“We are not alone,” Rodríguez said, adding that multiple countries were coordinating humanitarian support.
According to U.S. officials, more than 250 disaster-response personnel are being deployed, including three specialized urban search-and-rescue teams equipped with trained search dogs capable of locating survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The United Nations estimates that as many as 6.76 million people could be affected by the disaster and may require emergency shelter, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, healthcare, food assistance and protection services.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher warned that more than 50,000 people are believed to be missing.
“It’s a very, very complex emergency response,” Fletcher said.
The disaster has also exposed Venezuela’s fragile infrastructure following years of economic hardship and political instability.
Healthcare facilities, water systems and other essential public services have been severely strained, leaving millions vulnerable as aid organizations rush to deliver emergency assistance.
Residents in several affected communities have expressed frustration over what they describe as a slow government response.
In La Guaira, grieving mother Yessica Mendoza said her family received no official assistance after her daughter, 25-year-old Yesimar Rodriguez, and son-in-law, 26-year-old Jhomel Anaya, were killed when their home collapsed.
“We were the ones who pulled them out ourselves. No help ever came,” Mendoza said.
She added that the couple would be cremated without a traditional funeral because their bodies had deteriorated before they could be recovered.
During a visit to one of the devastated neighborhoods, Rodríguez was confronted by angry residents who accused authorities of failing to respond quickly enough.
“The government isn’t doing anything for the people,” some residents shouted as security personnel kept crowds behind barriers.
Authorities later restricted access to parts of La Guaira to allow emergency crews to continue rescue operations.
Rodríguez said she had spoken with U.S. President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who pledged continued American support for relief efforts.
International humanitarian organizations warned that Venezuela was already facing severe challenges before the earthquakes struck.
In a joint statement, UN agencies and aid organizations noted that millions of Venezuelans were already experiencing food insecurity, deteriorating healthcare, protection risks and limited access to essential public services before the disaster compounded the crisis.
Officials say this is Venezuela’s strongest earthquake in more than a century and one of the country’s worst natural disasters in modern history.
The scale of destruction has drawn comparisons with some of the world’s deadliest recent earthquakes, including the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which claimed more than 200,000 lives, and the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, which killed around 73,000 people.
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