Venezuela earthquake death toll surpasses 1,450; survivors found

Rescue teams continued searching for survivors Sunday in Venezuela after powerful twin earthquakes killed more than 1,450 people and destroyed nearly 200 buildings. A man and his teenage son were found alive under rubble in Caraballeda, a town north of Caracas, by French and American rescue teams, offering a rare moment of hope.

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We don't have the support to get our family out -- we can't do it alone. They are buried there: we know they are dead, but here we are.

The rescue came as a stark contrast to the ongoing tragedy that has gripped the nation, already struggling with an economic crisis. Tens of thousands are still reported missing, and the critical 72-hour window for finding survivors has passed. Millions more are feared to lack basic necessities and sanitation following one of Latin America's most devastating earthquake disasters.

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We have no hope left; all I have are memories.

Rescue teams from the United States, Mexico, and other nations worked alongside desperate residents who dug by hand through collapsed apartments. National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez reported 1,450 dead and 3,150 injured, with the toll expected to rise. Some 774 buildings were badly damaged in the back-to-back quakes of magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 that struck Wednesday evening.

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Today we have rescued people who are still alive, and therefore these efforts will not be suspended.

In the coastal city of La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit areas, residents complained of slow aid from authorities as looting broke out in the rubble-strewn city. Pharmacies, supermarkets, and other businesses were ransacked. Interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez praised rescuers for continuing to pull survivors from the ruins, vowing to sustain efforts. "We always hold onto hope," she said.

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We always hold onto hope.