LA GUAIRA, Venezuela — The confirmed death toll from the twin earthquakes that struck northern Venezuela earlier this week has climbed to at least 920, as rescue crews from Venezuela and abroad raced on Saturday against the narrowing window to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings, according to Venezuelan authorities.
The latest toll underscores the scale of one of the country's deadliest natural disasters in more than a century. Search-and-rescue operations continued across the hardest-hit areas, particularly in La Guaira state and parts of Caracas, where emergency workers, volunteers and residents searched through damaged buildings amid continuing aftershocks. Authorities said the casualty figures could rise further as recovery efforts progressed.
Jorge Rodríguez, president of Venezuela's National Assembly, announced the updated toll in a televised address, saying 920 people had been confirmed dead and about 3,360 injured. He also said 172 people were believed to remain trapped beneath collapsed structures. "Each person saved is a miracle," Rodríguez said as rescue operations continued.
Officials said two powerful earthquakes measuring magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 struck less than a minute apart on Wednesday evening along Venezuela's northern coast, causing widespread destruction in La Guaira and parts of the capital. The U.S. Geological Survey said the earthquakes were among the strongest recorded in the country in more than 100 years.
Residents in some of the worst-affected communities continued digging through debris by hand while awaiting additional heavy equipment. Rescue teams reported that aftershocks complicated operations and increased risks for emergency personnel working around unstable buildings.
The Venezuelan government said 14,000 military personnel, police officers and emergency workers had been deployed to the disaster zone. Interim President Delcy Rodríguez said international assistance was expanding, with about 1,600 foreign rescue personnel arriving aboard multiple relief flights carrying specialized search teams, medical supplies and equipment.
International aid continued to reach Venezuela as governments and humanitarian organizations coordinated relief efforts. Authorities said electricity had been partially restored in affected areas, although many communities remained without reliable services and access to some neighborhoods was still limited by damaged infrastructure.
Officials said search-and-rescue operations remained the immediate priority on Saturday, with teams continuing to search damaged buildings while authorities warned that the number of confirmed deaths and injuries could change as more victims were located and identified.
