Death Toll in Venezuela Earthquakes Rises to 920

Rescue workers from around the world yesterday intensified efforts to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings in Venezuela after two powerful earthquakes killed more than 900 people and left thousands injured in one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in more than a century.

According to Venezuelan authorities, at least 920 people have been confirmed dead, while more than 3,300 others sustained injuries after the twin earthquakes, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, struck barely a minute apart on Wednesday night. The second quake is believed to be the strongest to hit the South American nation since 1900.

Emergency workers are racing against time to rescue those feared trapped under rubble before the critical 72-hour “golden window” for finding survivors begins to close, the BBC reported.

The worst-hit areas include the capital, Caracas, the coastal state of La Guaira and neighbouring communities, where hundreds of buildings were reduced to piles of concrete and twisted steel.

Scenes of grief unfolded across affected communities as desperate families waited near collapsed structures, hoping for news of missing loved ones. Many survivors have also been forced to sleep outdoors after their homes were destroyed or declared unsafe.

In La Guaira, residents described widespread devastation as rescue teams, police officers and military personnel searched damaged buildings. Heavy machinery arrived in some of the hardest-hit areas nearly two days after the disaster to begin clearing massive piles of debris.

Among those anxiously awaiting rescue efforts is Natacha Diaz, whose two daughters are believed trapped inside a shopping complex where they worked. Holding their photograph, the distraught mother said they were “all I have.”

Another resident, Andreina Valerio, appealed for help to rescue her one-and-a-half-year-old son, Santiago, who remains trapped alongside other family members beneath the rubble.

Doctors in the disaster zone warned that hospitals were struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. Medical personnel reported severe shortages of essential supplies, saying years of underfunding had left the country’s healthcare system ill-prepared for a disaster of such magnitude.

The tragedy has also reignited criticism of Venezuela’s fragile emergency response system, with residents urging authorities to allow more civilian volunteers to participate in rescue operations as thousands remain displaced.

Meanwhile, international assistance has begun pouring into the country. Rescue teams from Switzerland and Mexico have joined local emergency responders, while the United States military is participating in humanitarian rescue operations despite longstanding tensions between Washington and Caracas.

Several countries have also dispatched heavy equipment, medical supplies, field hospitals and humanitarian aid to support rescue and relief efforts.

Authorities warned that the death toll could rise significantly as search operations continue across devastated communities where many people remain unaccounted for.

The twin earthquakes rank among the deadliest natural disasters to hit Venezuela in modern history, leaving the nation facing a daunting humanitarian challenge as rescue efforts transition into a massive recovery and rebuilding operation.