Venezuela Earthquake: Rescue Efforts Intensify Amid Rising Death Toll

Rescue operations are entering a critical phase in Venezuela as the death toll from a series of earthquakes has climbed to at least 1,450. Four days after the initial tremors, search teams continue to comb through the rubble, particularly in the coastal state of La Guaira, which bore the brunt of the 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude quakes.

International rescue teams are working alongside national efforts, primarily in La Guaira, where logistical hubs have been established. Several countries have updated figures on their citizens killed or missing. Spain reported 17 deaths and 150 missing, while Portugal confirmed seven deaths and 83 missing, including eight minors. Chile also reported three deaths.

Venezuelan authorities have reported 3,150 injured and 12,721 families displaced. They also stated that 33 people have been rescued alive. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez has pledged to maintain the search efforts, emphasizing that international assistance has brought "hope." She announced the formation of a commission to inspect damaged homes and infrastructure, using a traffic light system (green, yellow, red) to determine habitability.

Official figures indicate 189 buildings have suffered total damage and 585 partial damage. Additionally, 38 hospitals, 44 shopping centers, and 1,645 other structures are affected. The commission will involve public institutions, engineering organizations, and universities. The Ministry of Transportation confirmed that metro services in Caracas, Maracaibo, and Valencia have resumed after infrastructure checks.

Rodríguez, who has been interim president for nearly six months, also announced plans for temporary camps for those who lost their homes and for rapid construction of new housing. A high-level committee, headed by her brother Jorge Rodríguez, president of the National Assembly, will oversee these efforts. The Corporación Andina de Fomento (CAF) has also announced its support.

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The search efforts are not suspended, and international rescuers have brought back hope.