The death toll from Venezuela’s catastrophic twin earthquakes climbed past 1,400 on Saturday as international rescue teams continued arriving to assist local authorities in the search for survivors across the country’s worst-hit regions.
Reuters reported that the latest figures emerged as emergency workers expanded operations in La Guaira and sections of Caracas, where residents and volunteers have spent days combing through collapsed structures for survivors and victims.
Many have voiced frustration over what they described as a shortage of heavy machinery and limited government support in some affected communities.
Authorities said more than 1,600 foreign rescue personnel had already entered the country, with additional teams expected in the coming days.
Their arrival forms part of a growing global relief effort following the powerful earthquakes that struck on Wednesday and triggered hundreds of aftershocks.
In La Guaira, a popular coastal destination, residents reported that emergency assistance had been inconsistent. In several neighborhoods, families and volunteers were seen digging through debris with their bare hands in desperate attempts to locate missing loved ones.
Speaking on state television, top lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez announced that the official death toll had risen to 1,430.
He added that thousands of people had suffered injuries, displaced families were being accommodated in shelters, and humanitarian aid was reaching affected areas, particularly La Guaira.
Rodriguez also noted that authorities remained on alert as aftershocks continued to shake the region, highlighting the dangers facing rescue workers operating amid unstable rubble and damaged infrastructure.
Officials have maintained restrictions on access to La Guaira and continue to control movement along the main highway linking the coastal state to Caracas.
According to authorities, unrestricted traffic could hamper emergency operations, and civilians not affiliated with rescue efforts must present credentials at checkpoints.
Electricity service has gradually begun returning across parts of the affected region. Venezuela’s power system, weakened by years of underinvestment and economic sanctions, frequently experiences disruptions, with prolonged daily outages common in several areas.
55,000 Missing
While the government has reported that hundreds of people remain missing or trapped beneath debris, more than 55,000 individuals have been listed as unaccounted for on a website promoted by the country’s opposition.
The U.S. Geological Survey has estimated that fatalities from the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes could eventually exceed 10,000, potentially placing the disaster among the deadliest seismic events in the region’s history.
The disaster could have significant political implications for Rodriguez, who has sought to present herself as a reform-minded figure despite previously serving as vice president under Nicolas Maduro, who was removed from power and arrested by U.S. authorities in January.
Pope Leo, speaking in Rome on Saturday, offered prayers for those affected by the tragedy, their families and relief workers, expressing hope that international support for Venezuela would continue in the months ahead.
The United States has already provided assistance following the earthquakes. A senior U.S. administration official said on Saturday that a nine-figure aid package is expected to be unveiled within the next 24 hours, supplementing the $150 million already committed by the Trump administration.
A White House official also told Reuters that a renewed campaign by Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who departed Venezuela late last year, to secure U.S. assistance for her return has caused frustration among senior officials in Washington, who believe the immediate focus should remain on disaster relief efforts.
