Venezuela earthquake: Nearly 50,000 missing as rescue efforts continue

International rescue teams are aiding Venezuela in the search for survivors following devastating earthquakes, as the confirmed death toll approaches 1,500. The La Guaira state, located about 40 kilometers from the capital Caracas, has been the most severely impacted, with dozens of buildings collapsing.

While official reports indicate hundreds of missing persons, Venezuelan opposition sources suggest the number could be as high as nearly 50,000. This figure has slightly decreased from previous estimates. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) estimates that over 10,000 people may have died in the earthquakes, with earlier projections reaching up to 100,000 fatalities.

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These are crucial hours, crucial for further saving lives and building camps for those who lost their homes or those who cannot return, for any reason, to their places of residence.

Rescue operations are ongoing, with teams from the U.S., Colombia, and Mexico working to extract survivors from the rubble. Recent successes include the rescue of a nine-month-old baby and her mother by a U.S. team, and an 11-year-old boy by Colombian rescuers. Mexican teams also rescued an 11-year-old boy.

Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez stated that rescue efforts must continue to save lives and establish temporary shelters for those displaced. School classes have been suspended for another week, and power has been restored to 75% of La Guaira state. The Venezuelan administration has expressed gratitude to civilian volunteers assisting in the relief efforts.

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We have reached live people today (June 28), and therefore, the actions cannot be suspended.