Venezuela Earthquake: Death Toll Rises to 920, Tens of Thousands Missing Amidst Fury Over Response

The death toll from twin earthquakes in Venezuela has climbed to at least 920, with tens of thousands reported missing as international rescue teams intensify a slow-moving search for survivors. Residents in Caracas expressed anger towards interim leader Delcy Rodriguez during her visit to a devastated neighborhood, highlighting mounting fury over the perceived inadequacy of the official response.

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Unfortunately, the collapse is total, and there is little chance of finding survivors. Efforts are now focused on recovering the bodies of the deceased.

United Nations aid chief Tom Fletcher informed AFP that over 50,000 people are missing following two powerful earthquakes that struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening. The quakes flattened buildings, particularly in the northern coastal area of La Guaira, near the capital, Caracas, which bore the brunt of the destruction. Access to the disaster zone was restricted starting Friday evening, according to Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello.

A Chilean rescue team arrived at a residential complex in La Guaira, where four tall buildings housing hundreds of apartments were reduced to rubble. "Unfortunately, the collapse is total, and there is little chance of finding survivors. Efforts are now focused on recovering the bodies of the deceased," stated team leader Nadiomar Polanco, describing a scene replicated in many parts of the city.

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I am looking for my little Gael... he was only five months old.

Elsewhere, desperate family members, neighbors, and volunteers are using their bare hands to search for loved ones trapped under debris, lamenting the absence of heavy machinery and official assistance. "I am looking for my little Gael... he was only five months old," said an anguished Marjosly Salazar, 40, whose 16-year-old daughter perished in the quake. Her baby and cousin remain missing. "Please, we need support here. We need machinery to lift the columns," she pleaded, adding, "We haven't seen any government officials here, none at all."

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Please, we need support here. We need machinery to start lifting the columns.

In an upscale Caracas neighborhood, Rodriguez was met with angry chants from a crowd whose loved ones were buried under rubble. "The government isn't doing anything for the people," they yelled from behind cordons near a pulverized building. The UN's Fletcher described the situation as a "very, very complex emergency response," warning that the death toll could rise significantly due to aftershocks and the continued danger posed by unstable buildings. Venezuela's most devastating earthquake in over a century occurs as the oil-rich nation grapples with more than a decade of economic collapse, which has crippled hospitals and public services and driven millions to emigrate. The country is also in a fragile transition period six months after the United States ousted leader Nicolas Maduro.

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The government isn't doing anything for the people.