Rescuers in 'critical hours' to find survivors as death toll reaches 1,450
The president of Venezuela’s National Assembly has issued a warning that time is running out to rescue survivors trapped beneath the rubble following the recent earthquakes.
The death toll from the earthquakes has increased to at least 1,450 people, with 3,150 injured and 12,721 displaced, according to Jorge Rodríguez, who provided these figures during a televised address yesterday.
“We are in critical hours, in crucial hours to continue rescuing lives and to build camps where those people who have lost their homes, or who cannot return, for whatever reason, to their residences can stay,” Rodríguez said.
Additional search and rescue teams have been arriving in Venezuela five days after the powerful earthquakes struck within a minute of each other on Wednesday evening, causing widespread destruction in the northern region of the country.
The second quake was among the strongest to impact Venezuela in a century. Reports indicate that at least 68,900 people remain unaccounted for by their families.
Experts emphasize that the first 72 hours following natural disasters are critical for rescuing survivors, after which the focus typically shifts to recovering bodies.
Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, announced that power has been restored to La Guaira, a port city near the country’s main international airport that was severely affected by the earthquakes.
However, there is a significant shortage of heavy machinery required for rescue operations, and state manpower has been insufficient. Consequently, the government is relying on international aid for support.
Venezuela’s coastal state of La Guaira was the hardest hit by the twin earthquakes on Wednesday. Recovery efforts continue amid ongoing search and rescue operations.
All schools in Venezuela to remain closed this week - education ministry
All schools in Venezuela will remain closed until at least 6 June due to the extensive damage caused by the earthquakes that struck last week, the country’s education ministry announced.
The government has urged families to follow official channels for updates on the situation.
Schools have been closed since the two earthquakes occurred within a minute of each other shortly after 6pm local time on Wednesday.
The education ministry has stated that schools will be repurposed as emergency relief centers and shelters for families affected by the earthquakes.
Despite the tragedy, there have been moments of hope in a country already struggling with an economic crisis caused by years of US-led sanctions, hyperinflation, government corruption, and mismanagement.
A man and his teenage son were found alive beneath the rubble in Caraballeda, a town approximately 40km north of the capital Caracas, on Sunday, according to AFP journalists. The survivors were located by French and American rescue teams.
On Saturday, 33 people were rescued from the rubble, the country’s president reported.
The US State Department praised the rescue of an infant by American rescue crews over the weekend, sharing footage on X showing rescuers extracting the crying child from the debris.
A Colombian rescue team saved an 11-year-old boy named Moises, who had been trapped about 3 metres (10 feet) deep in rubble. His location was identified using a scanner, according to TV. Moises was removed on a stretcher with a broken arm; tragically, his mother and sister were killed.
On Friday, a mother and her 18-day-old baby were found alive and rescued after being trapped under debris for 32 hours.
In La Guaira, people affected by the earthquakes have been lining up for food aid as recovery efforts continue.
Family members have been searching through lists of hospitals and missing persons in La Guaira following the earthquakes.
