The death toll from the powerful earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to 589, while 2,980 people have been reported injured, interim President Delcy Rodriguez announced on Friday. She also declared the militarisation of La Guaira, the province that suffered the most severe destruction.
As international rescue teams and humanitarian aid began arriving nearly two days after the twin earthquakes, authorities warned that hundreds of people remain trapped beneath collapsed structures or are still unaccounted for. A government portal established to help locate missing persons had recorded approximately 50,000 unresolved cases by Friday morning.
The twin earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, struck about 160 kilometres west of Caracas on Wednesday evening during a public holiday. They rank among the strongest earthquakes recorded in modern Latin American history. The US Geological Survey has warned that the final death toll could potentially surpass 10,000.
Before this catastrophe, Venezuela’s deadliest earthquake in recent history occurred in 1967, when 240 people lost their lives.
La Guaira, a coastal city located near Caracas, has emerged as the epicentre of the destruction. At least 100 structures, including several residential towers, collapsed during the disaster.
Residents have continued searching for survivors using their bare hands and basic tools, while many expressed frustration over the shortage of heavy rescue machinery and specialised equipment.
Among them is Yamileth Jimenez, whose 19-year-old son remains trapped beneath the rubble of their seven-storey apartment building.
She said rescuers had been unable to reach him because of the lack of machinery needed to remove large concrete slabs.
In the absence of sufficient official assistance, ordinary citizens have joined relief efforts. Throughout Thursday night, motorcycle convoys carrying food, medicines, and essential supplies travelled from Caracas and Valencia to the affected areas.
International support for rescue and recovery operations has steadily increased.
The Dominican Republic became the first country to deploy rescue personnel to La Guaira. Mexico subsequently sent 250 rescuers, while El Salvador dispatched 188. Spain contributed nearly 100 rescue workers, and Colombia sent a specialised team of 63 personnel. Switzerland and Germany have also provided search-and-rescue teams equipped with trained dogs and advanced detection equipment.
The United States announced an emergency assistance package worth $150 million after temporarily easing sanctions to facilitate humanitarian operations.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that American rescue teams would be deployed to assist local authorities, while the Pentagon would support operations at Caracas’s damaged airport.
Additional relief supplies and equipment have also arrived from Colombia, Switzerland, and El Salvador.
President Rodriguez expressed gratitude to the international community, noting that foreign rescue teams had been assigned to various affected regions across the country.
The disaster has struck Venezuela at a time when the country is already grappling with years of economic hardship, political instability, and deteriorating public infrastructure.
Many survivors now face the challenge of rebuilding their lives with limited resources.
Among them is 50-year-old Suhayl Sarquiz, who said her apartment building had become uninhabitable and that she was left with nothing except her son. She added that she no longer had relatives in the country to turn to for support.
The United Nations’ migration agency estimates that nearly seven million people may ultimately be affected by the disaster. The agency has begun distributing emergency shelters, relief materials, and humanitarian assistance to displaced families.
Near the earthquake’s epicentre in Moron, a coastal town in Carabobo state, widespread destruction has left residents without electricity and running water. Many have been forced to sift through the ruins of their homes in an effort to recover personal belongings.
The Caracas Stock Exchange has also suspended operations after its premises were converted into a centre for collecting and distributing aid.
Despite the scale of the devastation, foreign energy companies operating in Venezuela have reported that the country’s critical oil infrastructure has largely escaped serious damage, allowing production and related operations to continue without major disruptions.
As rescue efforts continue and the search for missing persons intensifies, authorities fear the casualty figures may rise significantly in the coming days.
