Venezuela Earthquake Death Toll Tops 900 as Global Rescue Effort Intensifies

The death toll from the devastating earthquakes that struck Venezuela has climbed to more than 900, while at least 3,360 people have been injured as rescue teams race against time to locate survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. Government officials said the twin earthquakes, which struck within seconds of each other on Wednesday, caused widespread destruction across northern Venezuela, with the coastal state of La Guaira and the capital, Caracas, suffering the worst damage. Authorities confirmed that at least 172 people remain trapped beneath rubble, raising fears that the death toll will continue to rise.

La Guaira, home to one of Venezuela's busiest ports and Simón Bolívar International Airport, has borne the brunt of the disaster. Hundreds of residential buildings, hospitals, shopping centres, and public infrastructure have either collapsed or sustained severe structural damage, leaving thousands homeless.

National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said more than 243 people had already been rescued alive in La Guaira, describing every successful rescue as a source of hope for grieving families. Among those desperately awaiting news is Natacha Diaz, whose two daughters, aged 22 and 23, remain missing after the shopping centre where they worked as manicurists collapsed.

"They were together with their friends. I just want them back. They are all I have," Diaz told the BBC.

The United Nations says nearly 2,000 international rescue workers have joined local emergency services in one of the largest humanitarian responses Venezuela has seen in decades. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said the first 72 hours following a major earthquake are critical for locating survivors.

"It's absolutely devastating," Fletcher told BBC Radio. "We are driven minute by minute by the voices of survivors beneath the rubble. We cannot stop while we can still hear them."

According to the UN, 39 specialist urban search-and-rescue teams equipped with trained dogs, medical personnel, and miniature drones have been deployed to assist rescue operations. Countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Mexico, and Switzerland have also dispatched rescue personnel, equipment, and humanitarian aid. The United States has announced US$150 million in emergency assistance alongside military transport aircraft and naval assets to support relief operations.

Medical facilities across the affected regions are struggling to cope with the influx of casualties. Many hospitals sustained damage during the earthquakes, forcing healthcare workers to establish makeshift treatment centres. Doctor Pedro Javier Fernandez said Venezuela's already fragile healthcare system had been pushed beyond its limits.

"Our hospitals already lacked medicines and essential supplies before the disaster," he said. "Now the emergency is even greater, making it far more difficult to care for the injured."

Residents walk across rubble Thursday in Catia La Mar, Venezuela, which was rocked by earthquakes Wednesday. (Pedro Mattey/AP)

The second earthquake measured magnitude 7.5, making it one of the strongest earthquakes to strike Venezuela in more than a century. Officials have recorded more than 214 aftershocks since Wednesday, increasing fears of additional building collapses and complicating rescue operations. Experts say the relatively shallow depth of the earthquakes amplified ground shaking, contributing significantly to the widespread destruction.

Despite the devastation, rescuers have reported remarkable survival stories. State television broadcast dramatic footage showing three young siblings emerging alive after spending hours trapped beneath concrete debris in La Guaira. Their rescue has become a symbol of hope as emergency workers continue searching for survivors. The disaster has also claimed the lives of foreign nationals, including citizens of Portugal, Brazil, and Spain. Among those mourned is the wife of Venezuelan footballer Héctor Bello, who reportedly died while shielding and saving the couple's young daughter during the earthquake.

Humanitarian organisations warn that Venezuela's prolonged economic crisis has left the country particularly vulnerable to natural disasters. Norwegian Refugee Council Secretary-General Jan Egeland said years of underinvestment had weakened public infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

"The damage is horrific," he said. "Venezuela entered this disaster with crumbling infrastructure, making the response even more difficult."

Heavy machinery has now been deployed to the hardest-hit communities as authorities begin the long process of clearing debris and restoring essential services. Relief agencies warn that recovery efforts are likely to take months, while thousands of displaced families will require food, shelter, clean water, and medical assistance long after rescue operations end.

Venezuela earthquake