Venezuela earthquake death toll climbs, anger grows over government response

Hope dwindles for finding survivors in Venezuela following devastating earthquakes, as rescue teams increasingly recover bodies. The disaster has claimed at least 1,430 lives, with over 3,200 people injured, according to National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez.

Thousands are still believed to be trapped under rubble three days after the powerful magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck. Despite the grim outlook, some successes have been reported. A Colombian team rescued an 11-year-old in La Guaira state after a six-hour operation, and teams from El Salvador and Spain also reported successful rescues. The region has experienced 430 aftershocks since the initial quakes.

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They consider it very unlikely that there are still survivors there due to the weight of the construction.

International rescue teams, including those from Germany, have accelerated the search efforts. However, for families of the missing, these efforts have also brought tragic certainty. In Caracas's Chacao district, Mexican rescuers concluded it was highly unlikely to find survivors in a collapsed building due to the structure's weight, as confirmed by the mayor, Gustavo Duque.

The earthquakes have caused widespread destruction, particularly in La Guaira state and the capital, Caracas, leveling entire city blocks with high-rise buildings. Roads in affected areas have been cordoned off by police and soldiers to prevent desperate relatives from entering the disaster sites. Amidst the grief and ongoing search, public anger is mounting over the authorities' response to the catastrophe.

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More than 70,000 families have been supported by the authorities after the disaster.