Venezuela Quakes Kill 235, Rescue Efforts Hampered Amid International Aid

Desperate Venezuelans are racing against time to rescue loved ones trapped beneath the rubble after two powerful earthquakes devastated northern Venezuela on Wednesday night. The twin quakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude, struck less than a minute apart, causing buildings to crumble and tilt precariously.

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We need people..., military personnel, to come and help so we can get her out.

The confirmed death toll has risen to at least 235, with around 4,300 people injured. However, officials fear that the actual number of fatalities could be tens of thousands, as rescue efforts move slowly. In the hardest-hit state of La Guaira, residents listened helplessly as a young girl cried for help for hours before she died. Elsewhere, people trapped in collapsed buildings could be heard, but rescuers lacked the necessary tools and personnel to save them.

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They're still alive... There's nothing more we can do. We don't have any tools. We have no way to help.

Conditions on the ground are described as precarious, with a shortage of trained personnel and significant technical limitations hindering rescue operations. Residents have been seen looting a local supermarket amidst the chaos. The situation has been described as catastrophic by the director of the International Rescue Committee in Venezuela.

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Some children provide their names, while others arrive with identification tape on their arms.

Offers of support have poured in from around the world, with Switzerland, Spain, France, Portugal, and Mexico sending specialists and rescue teams. The United States has pledged a substantial response, deploying two warships, transport planes, and helicopters, along with $150 million in aid. Other nations, including China, India, Brazil, and Iran, have also offered assistance.

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We have a whole-of-government response. It'll be big, it'll be fast, and it'll be effective.