Jakarta, ThedailyID — The death toll from Venezuela’s devastating earthquakes has risen to 1,430, as rescue teams race against time to find survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings.
More than 72 hours have passed since the twin earthquakes struck the country. Officials and aid agencies say the chances of finding people alive continue to diminish with each passing hour.
Authorities also reported that tens of thousands of people remain missing. Meanwhile, millions now face shortages of clean water, sanitation and other essential services.
The humanitarian crisis has added to Venezuela’s prolonged economic and political instability following the arrest of former leader Nicolás Maduro by U.S. special forces in January 2026.
Interim President Delcy Rodríguez, who leads the U.S.-backed transitional government, thanked foreign countries for sending emergency assistance as international aid continued to arrive.
Rescue workers, volunteers and relatives are still searching through debris left by the magnitude 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes that struck on June 24.
Disaster experts say the first 72 hours after a major earthquake offer the highest chance of rescuing survivors. After that period, recovery efforts typically shift toward locating victims’ bodies.
“The situation is very chaotic, hot and disorganized,” Australian firefighter Craig Demeillon told AFP after traveling independently from Miami to La Guaira to assist rescue operations.
“I hope there are still people we can find,” he said.
An unnamed rescue worker from El Salvador said hopes of finding more survivors were fading.
“They may already be dead. Only a miracle from God would allow us to find more people alive,” the rescuer said.
U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told AFP on Friday that the death toll could continue to rise. He also said more than 50,000 people remain missing.
Amid the devastation, rescuers found a baby alive beneath collapsed buildings in the coastal city of La Guaira on Friday. The infant survived for about 32 hours after the earthquakes struck.
According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), about 6.76 million people now require emergency shelter, clean water, sanitation, healthcare and other humanitarian assistance.
National Assembly President Jorge Rodríguez said on Saturday that 1,430 people had died and 3,238 others had suffered injuries.
Meanwhile, the United Nations estimates the earthquakes caused US$6.7 billion in physical damage, equivalent to roughly 6% of Venezuela’s gross domestic product.
