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DESPERATE rescue efforts continued across Venezuela on Friday as the death toll from two powerful earthquakes rose above 900, with authorities confirming widespread destruction and thousands still unaccounted for across the capital and surrounding regions.
The government said 920 people had been killed, 3,360 injured, and 172 remained trapped beneath rubble following the twin quakes that struck on Wednesday evening. More than 50,000 people were reported missing as search and rescue operations stretched into a third day.
A weaker 4.9-magnitude aftershock was also felt on Friday afternoon in Caracas and nearby Maracay, adding to fears among survivors still awaiting assistance.
Reuters reported on Saturday that residents in the worst-hit areas, including La Guaira state, continued to dig through collapsed buildings using bare hands amid severe shortages of heavy equipment and limited official presence, with frustration mounting over the pace of the response.
“We need them to bring cranes,” said one resident, whose six-year-old son and several relatives remain trapped in the rubble of a collapsed housing complex in Caraballeda.
Reuters witnesses reported volunteers and residents ferrying supplies on motorcycles from nearby cities, while makeshift rescue efforts continued in heavily damaged neighbourhoods.
Authorities later urged civilians to stay away from some affected areas, warning that congestion was slowing rescue operations, and announced restricted access roads for official and registered emergency teams only.
In Catia la Mar, residents were seen removing food and basic supplies from damaged shops amid growing shortages, while officials did not immediately intervene, according to witnesses.
Lawyer Ricardo Trias, 73, said he was struggling to obtain a death certificate for his godson, whose body remained at the site of a collapsed building.
“We want them to give us the body… we can’t take it and here it will rot,” he said, adding that no forensic authorities had arrived.
International assistance began arriving late Thursday and Friday, with rescue teams deployed from Mexico, El Salvador and other countries joining local efforts. Specialized teams used drones, heat scanners and search dogs in an effort to locate survivors trapped under debris.
The United States pledged $150 million in aid, announced sanctions relief measures, and deployed military support including ships, helicopters and aircraft to assist rescue operations. Washington also held talks with Venezuelan authorities and disaster response officials as coordination efforts expanded.
The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, are among the most powerful to hit Venezuela in more than a century, according to seismic data cited in early assessments. A United Nations report estimated direct damage at approximately $6.7 billion, with nearly seven million people potentially affected.
The disaster has struck a country already facing deep economic and political challenges, compounding pressure on interim authorities as rescue operations continue under strained conditions. - June 27, 2026
