Venezuela earthquake toll nears 1,000, anger mounts over response

The death toll from twin earthquakes in Venezuela climbed to 920 on Friday, with tens of thousands still missing as international rescue teams joined a slow-moving search for survivors. Residents in Caracas jeered interim leader Delcy Rodriguez during her visit to a devastated neighborhood, reflecting mounting fury over the perceived lack of an 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 told AFP that more than 50,000 people were missing after two powerful earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, flattening buildings in the north of the country. The coastal area of La Guaira, near the capital Caracas, was the worst hit, with buildings reduced to rubble. Access to the disaster zone was restricted from Friday evening.

A rescue team from Chile arrived at a residential complex in La Guaira, where a team leader stated, "Unfortunately, the collapse is total, and there is little chance of finding survivors. Efforts are now focused on recovering the bodies of the deceased." Elsewhere, family members, neighbors, and volunteers used their bare hands to dig through debris, lamenting the absence of heavy machinery or official assistance. "Please, we need support here. We need machinery to lift the columns," said Marjosly Salazar, 40, searching for her five-month-old grandson.

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

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA reported that search and rescue teams from at least 17 countries were being mobilized. This earthquake, Venezuela's worst in over a century, strikes a nation already grappling with more than a decade of economic collapse, which has hollowed out hospitals and public services, driving millions to emigrate.

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It's a very, very complex emergency response.