Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Rises to 920 as Rescue Efforts Continue.
Caracas:
Venezuela is grappling with one of the deadliest natural disasters in its recent history after two powerful earthquakes struck the country on Wednesday, killing at least 920 people and injuring more than 3,360 others. Rescue teams are racing against time to locate survivors as hundreds remain trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
The second earthquake, measuring 7.5 in magnitude, was among the strongest to hit Venezuela in the past century. The northern coastal state of La Guaira suffered the worst destruction, with hospitals, shopping centres, homes and public infrastructure reduced to rubble. Caracas also experienced severe damage, forcing authorities to establish makeshift medical facilities to treat the injured.
Government officials said more than 214 aftershocks have been recorded since the twin quakes. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez confirmed that international rescue teams from several countries have arrived to assist search operations, while additional personnel and humanitarian aid are on the way.
Heartbreaking stories continue to emerge from the disaster zone. In La Guaira, a mother pleaded for help after her two daughters, both employed as manicurists, became trapped inside a collapsed shopping centre. Rescue workers have managed to save hundreds of people, including three young siblings pulled alive from the debris, offering a rare moment of hope amid widespread devastation.
Medical workers warned that the country’s already fragile healthcare system is struggling to cope with the crisis, citing shortages of medicines, equipment and hospital capacity.
The United Nations has appealed for a coordinated global response, while countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Mexico, Switzerland and the Netherlands have dispatched rescue teams, aircraft and emergency aid.
Authorities fear the death toll will continue to rise as rescue operations progress, with many people still reported missing beneath the rubble across the country’s northern regions.
