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Death toll from Venezuela's twin earthquakes rises to over 1,400 dead, at least 3,238 injured

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Ongoing story
  • Twin earthquakes in Venezuela have resulted in at least 1,430 deaths and over 3,238 injuries, with an estimated 50,000 people missing.
  • Rescuers are working in affected areas like La Guaira and Caracas, facing challenges with limited heavy equipment and official presence.
  • International aid is arriving, including over 1,600 foreign rescuers, as the government restricts access to some zones to facilitate emergency vehicle movement.

The death toll from two powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to at least 1,430, with over 3,238 people injured and an estimated 50,000 still missing. The disaster has left approximately 3,142 people homeless, according to top Venezuelan lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez.

Rescuers are diligently searching through rubble in heavily impacted areas such as La Guaira and parts of Caracas. Volunteers and families have spent days pulling survivors and bodies from the debris, often expressing frustration over the scarcity of heavy equipment and a limited official response. The government has imposed restrictions on access to La Guaira and the main road from Caracas, citing the need to prevent traffic from slowing down emergency vehicles.

At least 1,430 people have been reported dead, 3,238 injured, and as many as 50,000 are missing following the two earthquakes that struck Venezuela on Wednesday, top Venezuelan lawmaker Jorge Rodriguez said on Saturday.

— Jorge RodriguezProviding the updated casualty and missing persons figures.

An international response is underway, with over 1,600 foreign rescuers arriving to aid in the search and rescue operations. US helicopters have been observed ferrying rescue teams into dusty landing zones in Caraballeda, one of the most devastated areas. Alejandro Serrano, an industrial engineer searching for his sister in Caraballeda, shared his anguish, hoping she is found alive but needing to locate her.

Power is gradually being restored across the affected regions. The country's power grid has been historically unreliable due to underinvestment and economic sanctions, leading to frequent blackouts. Meanwhile, a website promoted by Venezuela's opposition lists more than 55,000 people as unaccounted for, contrasting with the government's figures. The magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes could rank among Latin America's deadliest in the last century and may have significant political repercussions for interim President Delcy Rodriguez.

I hope they don't find her, but I need to find her.

— Alejandro SerranoExpressing his desperate hope of finding his sister alive amidst the rubble.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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