CARACAS, Venezuela — Rescue teams continued searching for survivors on Sunday after two powerful earthquakes devastated parts of Venezuela, with the death toll approaching 1,500 as emergency crews battled time and difficult conditions to locate those still trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
DEATH TOLL RISES AS RESCUE OPERATIONS CONTINUE
Authorities said nearly 1,500 people have died following the twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday, while more than 3,000 others have been injured.
The hardest-hit area was the coastal state of La Guaira, where numerous buildings were reduced to rubble after the powerful tremors.
Officials said search-and-rescue operations remain active after several survivors were pulled from collapsed structures over the weekend.
THOUSANDS DISPLACED AND MISSING
The Venezuelan government reported that more than 12,000 people have been displaced, while hundreds remain trapped or missing.
An opposition-backed online registry, however, listed nearly 50,000 people as unaccounted for as of Sunday, down from around 55,000 the previous day.
Authorities also reported that at least 774 buildings had collapsed as a result of the disaster.
SIGNS OF LIFE OFFER HOPE
Rescue workers continued to recover survivors despite the increasingly difficult conditions.
Among those rescued on Sunday were a father and his son, who were found alive beneath the rubble of a collapsed building.
Government officials said dozens of people, including several children, had been rescued since Saturday.
CRITICAL RESCUE WINDOW NARROWS
International rescue experts warned that the chances of finding survivors decrease significantly after the first 72 hours following a major earthquake.
Swiss rescue teams said search dogs continued detecting signs of life beneath collapsed structures, although several victims could not be reached in time.
Hundreds of aftershocks have also complicated rescue operations and increased safety risks for emergency responders.
INTERNATIONAL AID POURS INTO VENEZUELA
More than 2,600 foreign rescue personnel have arrived in Venezuela to assist local authorities in search-and-rescue operations.
The United States is expected to announce additional humanitarian assistance after previously committing $150 million in aid for earthquake response efforts.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV expressed solidarity with the Venezuelan people during his Angelus prayer, offering prayers for the victims and gratitude to emergency responders.
POLITICAL AND INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGES PERSIST
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said schools in the affected areas would remain closed for another week while authorities assess damaged buildings.
She added that electricity service in La Guaira has been restored to about 75 percent.
Separately, Venezuela’s largest oil refinery, the Amuay Refinery, suspended operations following a major power outage in western Falcón.
One of Latin America’s deadliest earthquakes
The twin magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes rank among the strongest to hit Venezuela in recent decades.
The United States Geological Survey previously warned that fatalities from the disaster could exceed 10,000, potentially making it one of Latin America’s deadliest earthquakes in the past century.