Venezuela Earthquakes Kill Nearly 1,000, Tens of Thousands Missing

The death toll from twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 920, as tens of thousands remain missing and international rescue teams intensify their search for survivors. Public fury is mounting over the perceived lack of an official response, with residents in Caracas jeering interim leader Delcy Rodriguez during a visit to a devastated neighborhood.

More than 50,000 people are missing following the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 quakes that struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening. The coastal area of La Guaira, near the capital Caracas, suffered the worst devastation, with buildings reduced to rubble. Access to the disaster zone was restricted from Friday evening.

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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.

Rescue teams from Chile are working at a residential complex in La Guaira where four tall buildings collapsed. "Unfortunately, the collapse is total, and there is little chance of finding survivors. Efforts are now focused on recovering the bodies of the deceased," said team leader Nadiomar Polanco. Many family members, neighbors, and volunteers are using their bare hands to search for trapped individuals, lamenting the absence of heavy machinery or official assistance.

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I am looking for my little Gael... he was only five months old. Please, we need support here. We need machinery to start lifting the columns. We haven't seen any government officials here, none at all.

"I am looking for my little Gael... he was only five months old," said an anguished Marjosly Salazar, 40, whose 16-year-old daughter died in the quake. Her baby and cousin are 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."

The UN humanitarian agency OCHA reported that search and rescue teams from at least 17 countries are being mobilized. The UN's aid chief, Tom Fletcher, described the situation as a "very, very complex emergency response" and warned that the death toll could rise significantly. Venezuela's worst earthquake in over a century has occurred amidst a decade-long economic collapse that has weakened hospitals and public services, prompting millions to leave the country.

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It's a very, very complex emergency response.