CARACAS, Venezuela — Rescue workers and volunteers continued searching collapsed buildings across northern Venezuela on Saturday after twin powerful earthquakes devastated parts of the country earlier in the week, as the official death toll climbed above 900 and authorities warned that hundreds of people were still believed trapped beneath the rubble, according to government officials.
The Venezuelan government said at least 920 people had been confirmed dead and about 3,360 injured following the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on Wednesday near the capital, Caracas. Officials also said 172 people were believed to remain trapped, while a government-supported website had received reports of more than 50,000 people listed as missing, although authorities have not said all of those reports represent confirmed missing persons.
Foreign search-and-rescue teams and humanitarian assistance continued arriving as emergency crews used heavy machinery, rescue dogs, drones and thermal imaging equipment to search damaged buildings in Caracas and surrounding areas, including the hard-hit coastal state of La Guaira, according to government statements and humanitarian agencies.
"We will not stop until every possible survivor has been found," acting President Delcy Rodríguez said, according to government statements reported by Reuters. Officials said rescue operations remained the priority while emergency shelters, medical services and food distribution were being expanded in affected communities.
The United Nations said it was coordinating the deployment of international urban search-and-rescue teams, while governments and humanitarian organizations sent financial assistance, medical supplies and emergency personnel. Aid agencies said damaged roads, disrupted communications and infrastructure damage continued to complicate relief operations.
The earthquakes, among the strongest to strike Venezuela in more than a century, caused widespread destruction in residential neighborhoods and commercial districts. Residents in several locations continued assisting rescue efforts alongside emergency responders as authorities worked to assess structural damage and restore essential services.
The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the earthquakes measured magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 and occurred less than a minute apart west of Caracas. The agency has not issued an official fatality estimate, while U.N. officials said the full humanitarian impact was still being assessed.
As of Saturday, rescue operations remained underway in multiple locations. Authorities said casualty figures could change as search efforts continued, and details on the number of people still unaccounted for remained unclear.
